Refugees Flee DR Congo Violence Face Dire Conditions in Burundi

DR Congo refugees face dire conditions in Burundi camps with limited food, water, and healthcare amid M23 conflict and displacement crisis.

Thousands of people fleeing violence in eastern DR Congo are facing severe hardships in refugee camps in Burundi. Following clashes with M23 rebels in Uvira, near the Burundi border, nearly 90,000 Congolese crossed into the neighboring country seeking safety.

Aid organizations warn that conditions in the camps are critical. Many refugees, particularly women and children, have gone days without food or clean water. Medical charity MSF reports treating around 200 people daily, including women who gave birth while fleeing the conflict.

MSF officials highlight the risks of disease outbreaks such as cholera, measles, and malaria among the vulnerable population. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up aid to reach over 210,000 people, providing hot meals and essential supplies.

Since early December, fighting in South Kivu province has displaced roughly half a million people. Health facilities have been looted, medicines are scarce, and schools remain closed, leaving communities on the brink of collapse.

The M23 rebels had captured Uvira earlier this month, extending their territorial control after seizing major cities like Goma and Bukavu. Although they claimed to withdraw under US pressure, Congolese authorities dispute this. Meanwhile, the US-brokered peace deal between the DR Congo and Rwanda aims to curb the long-standing conflict, though M23 is negotiating separately through Qatar.

Immediate international support and funding are crucial to prevent a humanitarian disaster in eastern DR Congo and the refugee camps in Burundi.