Sun Aug 10, 2008
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) called on Sunday for humanitarian access and safe passage for thousands ofcivilians caught up in fighting in the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia.
"The conflict has caused civilian casualties and more are at risk," UNHigh Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said.
"It is essential that humanitarian agencies be able to reach theaffected and the displaced, and that those trapped in conflict areas begranted passage to safer areas as soon as possible," he said in a statement.
"It is absolutely essential that both sides respect humanitarianprinciples and ensure the protection and safety of civilians," Guterres said.
Several thousand displaced people have fled from South Ossetia to other parts of Georgia, and thousands more have gone north to North Ossetia in Russia, the UNHCR said, citing figures from authorities there.The number of those displaced in Georgia proper and South Ossetia isestimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000, said UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond.
"The Georgians have said that 2,400 people have fled into Georgia proper, but our representative there believes this figure issubstantially higher," Redmond said.Sergei Sobyanin, the Russian government chief of staff, has said 30,000South Ossetian refugees had fled to Russia since Friday.
The UNHCR was sending a team to the Georgian town of Gori, scene ofRussian bombing, on Sunday to assess needs there and intends to resumeaid convoys as soon as possible, Redmond said.(Reporting by Katie Reid; Editing by Giles Elgood)
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