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The government last week appealed for international aid for refugees from the DRC who had escaped into northern Congo, news agencies reported. AFP quoted government spokesman Francois Ibovi as saying on 17 February that at least 20,000 people had crossed into the region after fleeing fighting between DRC government and rebel forces in Equateur province. UNHCR on
Friday said it had set up an office in Impfondo and was currently
providing aid to 10,000-15,000 Congolese refugees scattered along a 400-km stretch of the Oubangui river. But the UN agency had so far been unable to go to Betou where more refugee arrivals had been reported, a spokesman said.
In agreement with the authorities in Brazzaville, the refugees were being hosted by the local population instead of in camps and were supplied with plastic sheeting and other basic items, the UNHCR spokesman said. Most were fishermen and were largely self-sufficient in food, he added. Meanwhile, an ICRC assessment mission to Impfondo last week found only two war-wounded people among the new DRC refugees "on the spot", an ICRC statement said on 17 February.
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