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A humanitarian mission to Gemena in Equateur province on 4 November found that the overall situation in the MLC-held town appeared to be fairly stable and that reports of widespread destruction due to air raids by Kinshasa’s allies had been “gravely exaggerated”. An OCHA mission report received by IRIN on Wednesday said the town’s market was very busy and goods were abundant. “Prices for basic food and non-food items were considerably lower than elsewhere in war-affected areas of the DRC,” the report said. Increased trade with neighbouring Central African Republic had compensated for severed supply links with Kinshasa and Kisangani. “No signs of any significant devastation were observed,” it added.
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