GENEVA: Up to 700,000 people are expected to be uprooted by the violence in Mali, including 400,000 who could flee to neighbouring countries in the coming months, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday.
"We believe there could be in the near future an additional 300,000 displaced inside Mali and up to 400,000 additional displaced (refugees) in neighbouring countries," UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told a news briefing in Geneva.
Some 147,000 Malians have already fled to countries including Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Algeria since the crisis began last year, including 2,744 since French air strikes began a week ago, she said.