Liberian refugees in western Ivory Coast – in pictures

Nicla II refugee camp, known as Peacetown, has evolved into a sprawling village in the forest outside Guiglo in western Ivory Coast Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN A Liberian refugee displays his ID card in Tabou, 30km from the border with Liberia. Many Liberians have been living in Ivory Coast for more than 20 years Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN Graffiti in a derelict colonial mansion, home to Liberian refugees, in the coastal village of Sassandra, 400km west of Abidjan. Most refugees do not live in formal camps Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/Action images A Liberian refugee closes a hole in the tarpaulin that forms her shelter in Tabou transit camp. Liberia has been hit by civil war twice in recent memory (1989-96 and 1999-03) Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/Action images Most of Tabou transit camp’s residents have now returned to Liberia, supported by the UN high commission for refugees (UNHCR) Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN Liberian refugee children play on the beach in Tabou Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN A USAid box doubles as a makeshift curtain in Peacetown. Camp residents say levels of assistance have declined in recent years Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/Action images Children here are often sent to collect firewood in the bush, but they claim some locals resent their presence, and intimidate them when they leave the camp Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN Ivory Coast is the only home many younger Liberian refugees have ever known Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/IRIN