| 65 thousand refugees flee sectarian violence Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060413-091405-3153rhttp://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060413-091405-3153r
Sectarian refugees number 65,000 in Iraq 4/13/2006 9:55:00 AM -0400
BAGHDAD, April 13 (UPI) -- Fear of sectarian violence has made refugees of at least 65,000 Iraqis since February, government statistics released Thursday showed.
Figures obtained by the BBC from the Ministry for Displacement and Migration also show the number of people packing up and running has doubled in the last two weeks.
Much of the displacement is taking place in and around Baghdad where the violence has been worst, with some displaced people living in makeshift camps, with relatives or friends, or in ruined buildings.
While the Red Crescent is trying to supply food, water, blankets and kerosene to 5,000 families, the agency said many refugees are reluctant to establish camps for fear of creating convenient targets, the report said.
The U.S. military says 1,313 Iraqi civilians died in sectarian executions in March.
The tensions between the country's majority Shiite Muslims and minority Sunni Muslims began in February with the bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samara.
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