No new Congolese refugee influx

The UNHCR in Zambia has dismissed media reports of an influx of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into northern Zambia. The 'Zambia Daily Mail' reported on Tuesday that at least 500 refugees had fled into Zambia from the DRC in the past two weeks to flee fighting between government and rebel soldiers and that between 30 and 40 refugees were arriving in the Zambian border town of Kaputa, in the Northern Province each day.

However, UNHCR spokesperson in Zambia, Kelvin Shimo, told IRIN on Tuesday that only about 40 refugees a week were arriving in the Zambian border town of Kaputa from the DRC. He said there were 64 refugees at the Kaputa District camp and about 85 in nearby Chiengi. He said the refugees would soon be moved to Kala camp near Kwambwa, about 100km to the south.

Shimo said his office had noticed only a small increase in the number of refugees arriving from the DRC and that some refugees said they had fled because they were nervous about being in their villages while troops were withdrawing. Rwandan forces recently withdrew from the Congolese town of Pweto, from where many of the Congolese refugees in northern Zambia hail from. Zambia is currently host to over 255,000 refugees, mainly Congolese and Angolans fleeing fighting in their countries.