Fighting between government troops and rebels has displaced hundreds
of thousands people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), leading
to what is being described as a humanitarian crisis.
Rebel fighters known as the March 23 Movement, or M23, have advanced against government forces in renewed fighting on Saturday.
The fighting has been most intense in the hills of the North Kivu province in the country's east, where rebel positions were shelled by the government forces on Friday.
Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri, reporting from the outskirts of Goma in eastern Congo, said: “We spoke to the M23 spokesperson. He said they are fighting back against government forces and have taken a place called Jamba. They believe they are going to be able to take back Bunagana. Clearly, this is unconfirmed,” she said.
“It does seem the fighting has escalated in the last few hours and it’s really serious and intense. If M23 is right in what they are saying, then this is real threat for FARDC - the government army."
The fighting has created a refugee crisis with influx of people into neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda fearing violence, and many more are on their way.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR] says about 300,000 people have been displaced because of the fighting since November's presidential and parliamentary elections.
More than 8,000 refugees have crossed into Rwanda in the past three weeks on top of 55,000 Congolese refugees already there.
"The initial challenge is shelter because the camp is over-stretched and over-congested," Anouck Bronee of UNHCR said.
Another 30,000 have gone to Uganda this month, in addition to the 175,000 other refugees from several of its neighbours.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Antonio Guterres, the UN high commissioner for refugees, said: "The displacement level we see in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is already disastrous.
"Conflict there, coupled with very limited access for humanitarian workers, means that many thousands of people are without protection and help. And now people in need are appearing in neighbouring countries too."
The UN fears the fighting could escalate and draw in various rebel groups in the region.
Source: Al Jazeera, Last Modified: 19 May 2012 11:34
Rebel fighters known as the March 23 Movement, or M23, have advanced against government forces in renewed fighting on Saturday.
The fighting has been most intense in the hills of the North Kivu province in the country's east, where rebel positions were shelled by the government forces on Friday.
Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri, reporting from the outskirts of Goma in eastern Congo, said: “We spoke to the M23 spokesperson. He said they are fighting back against government forces and have taken a place called Jamba. They believe they are going to be able to take back Bunagana. Clearly, this is unconfirmed,” she said.
“It does seem the fighting has escalated in the last few hours and it’s really serious and intense. If M23 is right in what they are saying, then this is real threat for FARDC - the government army."
The fighting has created a refugee crisis with influx of people into neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda fearing violence, and many more are on their way.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR] says about 300,000 people have been displaced because of the fighting since November's presidential and parliamentary elections.
More than 8,000 refugees have crossed into Rwanda in the past three weeks on top of 55,000 Congolese refugees already there.
"The initial challenge is shelter because the camp is over-stretched and over-congested," Anouck Bronee of UNHCR said.
Another 30,000 have gone to Uganda this month, in addition to the 175,000 other refugees from several of its neighbours.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Antonio Guterres, the UN high commissioner for refugees, said: "The displacement level we see in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is already disastrous.
"Conflict there, coupled with very limited access for humanitarian workers, means that many thousands of people are without protection and help. And now people in need are appearing in neighbouring countries too."
The UN fears the fighting could escalate and draw in various rebel groups in the region.
Source: Al Jazeera, Last Modified: 19 May 2012 11:34
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