Renewed violence forces thousands to flee

BOGOTA, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- U.N. officials say renewed violence in Colombia's northeast has resulted in approximately 2,000 people forced to flee the countryside.

Officials say the displaced citizens have fled the countryside for safe refuge in cities and villages after a surge in violence by armed groups in the Arauca region, the United Nations reported.

"The local authorities have reacted quickly but say the scope of the displacement is overwhelming their capacity and have requested regional and national help," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman William Spindler said in a statement.

United Nations officials estimate the long-running conflicts have uprooted as many as 3 million people in a region that has one of the largest populations of concern to UNHCR.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is responding to the latest violence with emergency humanitarian assistance, but officials are concerned that the health situation could deteriorate.

"People began fleeing to the cities during the second week of January after irregular armed groups issued threats to those in the countryside. The government and several non-governmental organizations say several community leaders have been killed since the start of the year," the release said.

U.N. officials say a team has been deployed to Arauca to monitor the situation and prepare to open a field office.