Over 1,200 returnees in July

The number of returnees from eastern DRC appears to be on the decline, humanitarian sources have told IRIN. However, the reduction in the rate of return could be an indication of logistical constraints since there were only a limited number of government vehicles dedicated to transporting returnees across the border, the sources said. Returnee numbers tended to fluctuate, and arrival of 30,000 more people was still possible. Returnees in Ruhengeri and Gisenyi would continue to be highly vulnerable if they returned to a commune that was not a part of a general food aid distribution programme, the sources added. Over 1,200 people are estimated to have returned to Rwanda from the DRC in July.