Over 450,000 people displaced in northwestern Pakistan

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More than 450,000 people have been displaced in North Waziristan in northwestern Pakistan since the army began an offensive against militants a week ago, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said here Monday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA) has been informed of the Pakistani government estimates of displacement, Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

"Some 73 percent are women and children," he said. "People are continuing to leave the area."

"Most of the displaced are staying with relatives or in rented accommodation: as of Sunday, only 18 families have moved into Bakakhel Camp that has a capacity for 200,000 people," he said. " Humanitarian organizations are supporting the government response, with health activities including vaccinations, food distributions that started on 22 June, as well as water and sanitation activities."

Tens of thousands of people are fleeing North Waziristan, a mountainous region bordering Afghanistan, after the Pakistani army launched an offensive against militants a week ago.

The Pakistan military said last Monday that 177 "terrorists have been killed" in major military operation against the local and foreign militant groups in North Waziristan tribal region over the past two days.

Last week, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimated that more than 46,000 people have crossed into Afghanistan to seek safety.