Attacks continuing in South Kivu

Humanitarian sources have pointed out that insecurity is still prevalent in Bukavu and areas of South Kivu. About 1,000 Interahamwe militiamen last week reportedly attacked the parish of Kabare, Mukongola hospital and a number of nearby villages, and were said to have killed, raped and looted. The sources said the attacks resulted in civilians fleeing to the Kadutu and Bagira areas, and some 10,000 people arrived in Bukavu itself. The ever-increasing number of displaced people in Bukavu is putting an enormous strain on commodities. The South Kivu governor has called on the local youth to organise self-defence militias, the sources added, stressing that the situation in Kabare was of serious concern. Meanwhile, further south in Kiliba, near Uvira, clashes broke out between joint Mayi-Mayi militia forces and Burundian rebels of the Forces pour la defense de la democratie (FDD) against allied Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma)-Rwandan troops. The Interahamwe also attacked villages near Lubarika. Following the attacks, people are again on the move, the sources said.