Fighting displaces 10,000 civilians

An estimated 10,000 civilians have been displaced in the latest round of fighting between the army and Forces nationales de liberation (FNL) fighters loyal to rebel leader Agathon Rwasa in Burundi's Bujumbura Rural Province. "Some two thousand families had left their villages and sought refuge at Isale [town] but only one-third are still there," Severin Bagorikunda, the interim administrator of Isale Commune, told IRIN on Wednesday. The fighting took place on Monday and Thursday in Isale, and led to a massive displacement of the population, Bagorikunda said. He said those who fled on Thursday were mainly from Nyabibande and Caranka areas while those who were displaced on Monday were from Nyarumpongo and Cirisha areas in Bujumbura Rural. "It is a continuous movement of the population, some return home as others flee," he added. "They are now dispersed in families around the county town of Isale." Bagorikunda said that it was difficult to assess the situation as sporadic fighting continued in the commune. Humanitarian officials in the capital, Bujumbura, who requested anonymity, said they had not received reports of the displacement. They said civilians who had been displaced recently had returned home and that others did not stay in one site for more than three days. So far, the displaced have not received any aid. However, local administrative officials said they had made appeals for aid. "They do not only need emergency food aid but assistance for the whole agricultural season as all their harvest was looted," Bagorikunda said. The latest displacements come after that of 1,400 civilians originally from Mugongo Manga, another commune in Bujumbura Rural, who have been in Isale since 1996. Local administrators said the ministry in charge of displaced persons and returnees had pledged to help return the displaced to their homes. Civilians in Gomvyi, which neighbours Mutambu Commune, also fled the area early this week but the number of the displaced has not been ascertained as fighting continues. Rwasa's FNL has lately increased attacks in Bujumbura Rural and Bubanza provinces. On Monday, 11 people were killed at Gihanga in Bubanza in an attack blamed on the rebel movement. However, local authorities in Gihanga said on Wednesday that the situation had since returned to normal. Reports of rebel ambushes have also been reported along the road connecting Bujumbura to the northwest province of Cibitoke. Rwasa's FNL is the only rebel faction that has not signed a peace agreement with the transitional government. It continues to stage sporadic attacks against the army and other rebel movements in the country, all of which have signed ceasefire agreements with the government.