Thousands of displaced people return to Kisangani

The ravaged northeastern city of Kisangani was reported quiet on Tuesday and the ceasefire was still holding, enabling the continuation of humanitarian work. Nicky Smith who heads the Kisangani intervention for Medecins sans frontieres (MSF) told IRIN that humanitarian workers were able to access other areas of the city which had previously been too insecure. She said there was an hour of electricity last night, and some water on Tuesday morning, and distributions of jerry cans and food were going ahead.

The Tshopo bridge, scene of very heavy fighting between the Ugandan and Rwandan troops, had reopened and tens of thousands of displaced people were returning to their homes. In this context, the next few days would be critical, Smith remarked. ICRC is distributing plastic sheeting and continuing to collect bodies in a bid to avert a cholera epidemic. Nine cases of cholera have been reported so far, and one person has died. ICRC has so far buried 150 bodies from the fighting, but the civilian death toll is believed to be far higher.