At least 31 people have been confirmed dead and nearly 48,000 displaced in violent clashes over land in Gbiniyiri and 11 surrounding communities in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region.
The violence, which erupted on Sunday, August 24, has forced thousands, mostly women and children to flee their homes.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) reports that about 14,000 have crossed into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, while others remain in makeshift shelters in Sawla under the care of NADMO and the Ghana Red Cross.
Regional Minister Salisu Bi-Awuribe said additional security deployments have helped stabilise the situation.
He noted that the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) is in talks with the Yagbonwura and other traditional leaders to find a lasting settlement.
However, local residents insist the death toll is far higher, claiming more than 200 may have been killed.
Some casualties reportedly occurred when displaced persons drowned while attempting to cross the Black Volta River into Côte d’Ivoire.
Conditions at the Sawla camp remain dire.
“We left everything behind when the fighting started. Now we have nothing to feed our children,” said Alhassan Osman, a displaced resident.
Another victim, Agness Dawuda, appealed for urgent help: “We need food, water, and shelter. The government and aid agencies must come quickly.”
The clashes, rooted in a dispute over land ownership, have spiralled into one of the most severe humanitarian crises the Savannah Region has faced in recent years.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
