France, Sept. 6 -- At least 31 people have been killed and thousands displaced in clashes between ethnic groups in north-western Ghana. The Ghana Red Cross has warned of a critical humanitarian situation for about 50,000 people forced to flee their homes.

The violence broke out on 24 August in the village of Gbiniyiri, Savannah Region, near the borders with Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso. The Birifor and Gonja ethnic groups, who have long disputed land ownership in the area, were involved.

The conflict reportedly began when the local chief sold a parcel of land to a private developer, without broader community consent, French news agency AFP reported. When the developer attempted to access the land to begin work, residents resisted viol...