NGO sources in Uvira have reported an increasingly tense situation in the Hauts Plateaux area, where several people have been killed following weekend attacks said to have been carried out by the Mayi-Mayi and Burundian rebels of the Forces pour la defense de la democratie (FDD). Nine people were killed and six wounded in the village of Kihuha, while in nearby Kajembwe over 15 people were killed and two wounded, the sources told IRIN. Kajembwe was home to both the Banyamulenge and Bafulero, and people from both ethnic groups died in the attacks. Up to 1,000 residents have fled their homes and some 300 houses were destroyed. The sources say the Mayi-Mayi are still hiding out in the surrounding bush and it is feared they will launch more attacks. The Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) authorities have said they will send reinforcements to the area. The administrator of Uvira, who is said to have been suspended by the RCD authorities, has been called for Bukavu for consultations with the RCD leadership which is currently in the town.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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