At least 8,000 displaced in Gitega

At least 8,000 people have been “temporarily displaced” from Gitega province, central Burundi, due to an upsurge in fighting between rebels and the army, humanitarian workers in Burundi confirmed to IRIN on Wednesday. “This morning, the administration in Mwaro region had said there were 18,000 people who had moved from Gitega to neighbouring Mwaro,” a UN-OCHA official in Bujumbura told IRIN. “But by lunch time [Wednesday], the authorities had encouraged the displaced to go back to their homes to protect their belongings from being looted. Some left and the authorities have said there are only 8,000 left in the sites in Mwaro.” OCHA described the situation in the country as “very fluid and could change at any time”, hence a possibility of change in the number of the displaced. “There is a temporary displacement,” the official noted. “People leave and return home as soon as combat stops.” The official said that humanitarian agencies were not able to conduct rapid assessments in Gitega because the town was “encircled” by rebels. Fighting has reportedly moved northwards on the road from Muramvya to Gitega. On Tuesday, there were clashes in Nyabihanga in Mwaro. There were reports of fighting in Kibimba in Mwaro this morning, OCHA said.