Angolan refugees stream in

Fighting in Angola’s Lunda Norte province has led to the exodus of tens of thousands of refugees into bordering DRC provinces, a UNHCR spokesman said. An estimated 7,000 refugees had arrived in Kahemba, Bandundu province, over the past three months leading to a total number of 15,000 in the province, many of whom were inaccessible due to damaged bridges and bad roads. Resources on the ground are lacking and many of the refugees are living in miserable conditions. The spokesman stressed the urgent need for water, sanitation, medical and educational assistance.

The Bas-Congo province next door is also hosting large numbers of Angolan refugees. A recent UNHCR mission confirmed the presence of 20,000 refugees in Kilueka and Nkondo camps, with a further 20,000 in villages close to the border. UNHCR said a mass information campaign was underway to try and convince these refugees to regroup in the camps where they would be less at risk and receive assistance. An additional 47,000 refugees have gathered around Kisenge in Katanga province. UNHCR put the total number of assisted refugees in the three DRC provinces at 102,000, with a further 38,000 in inaccessible areas of Bandundu and Bas-Congo.