ABOUT 2400 Angolans — mostly children, women and elderly people — have fled to northern Namibia over the last 15 days to escape fighting between Angolan government forces and UNITA rebels, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Friday. Many of the refugees are arriving in Namibia’s Kavango region in poor shape and in need of immediate medical help, food and shelter. Conditions have been exacerbated by the rainy season, but the UNHCR is working with the Namibian government and local non-governmental organisations to help new arrivals. The refugees are being transported to the Osire refugee camp in the Otjiwarango region. The UN refugee agency estimates that there are 1.7 million internally displaced people in Angola, 5000 refugees in Namibia, 43_ 000 in Democratic Republic of Congo and 32000 in Zambia.