The United Nations refugee commissioner, Mr Ruud Lubbers, visited camps in Guinea yesterday and promised to help resolve what his agency has termed the world's worst refugee crisis.
"It's all about security," the UNHCR leader said after hearing refugees complain that, having fled war in their homelands, they were again in danger in Guinea.
"We need a corridor of security and safety for refugees and humanitarian workers," Mr Lubbers said after driving in a convoy past villages destroyed in previous rebel attacks.
He said he was prepared to talk to whoever he needed to in order to establish such a corridor, including Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front if necessary. But he said ending the fighting was a task for governments and the international community.
Mr Lubbers met Sierra Leonean refugees who had fled their camp on Friday due to new fighting in the southern border town of Gueckedou between Guinea's army and foreign-backed dissidents.
Humanitarian workers said gunfire could again be heard yesterday morning.
They quoted military sources as saying the rebels had attacked and Guinean soldiers were preparing a counterattack.
"We want to go home," women and children chanted as Mr Lubbers drove into a camp at Massakoudou.