The United Nations' refugee agency says it is deeply concerned about deteriorating conditions among refugees along the Colombian-Ecuadorian border.
The agency said Wednesday more than 2,000 men, women, and children have been displaced to avoid fighting between armed groups in Colombia since October 19. It said the latest movement of refugees is the result of an upsurge in the fighting in the southern Colombia departments of Putumayo and Narino.
In a statement, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said some 600 refugees have crossed over to the Ecuadorian town of San Lorenzo in the past several days, the single largest influx of refugees into Ecuador this year.
The agency said since many refugees do not register with authorities, there could be as many as 250,000 Colombians in Ecuador.
