GENEVA, Switzerland, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Authorities in Chad are tightening security in and around 10 United Nations refugee camps where more than 200,000 Sudanese have gathered.
The action Friday came after three refugees were killed in the past week amid rising tensions between refugees from Darfur and nomads.
A spokesman for the Geneva-based U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said about 180 Chad gendarmes have started patrols around the camps. Ron Redmond said UNHCR handed over nine patrol vehicles to the gendarmes.
He said refugees and officials blamed nomads in Chad for the recent attacks, adding the local population was not considered responsible.
"Nevertheless, the incidents are indicative of increasing tension between the refugees and the local population due to a lack of resources," he said. "While the Sudanese refugees were openly welcomed by Chadians belonging to the same ethnic groups when they crossed the border, there is some resentment among local people who now say the refugees in the camps live better than they do."
One week ago, a man on camelback shot a refugee shepherd outside one of the camps and Monday two refugees were killed for unknown reasons while between two towns.
