ICRC launches assessment and assistance mission in Uvira

Delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have visited Uvira in South Kivu Province of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assess and respond to the humanitarian needs of the city's population following renewed fighting in the area, ICRC announced on Friday. Congolese Mayi-Mayi militias captured Uvira from the Rwandan-backed Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) rebel group on Sunday. ICRC also took the opportunity to remind all armed parties in Uvira of their obligations under the Geneva Conventions to respect the dignity and property of civilians. After obtaining guarantees of safe passage to Uvira, the ICRC delegation made contact on Tuesday with the current administration and visited the general hospital. The delegates also held meetings with local ICRC staff and officials of the Congolese Red Cross. The ICRC team - comprising the head of the Bukavu sub-delegation, a nurse, and the head of the Uvira office - established that the hospital had recently received a number of wounded patients and that breakdowns in electricity supply had affected pumps supplying the city with drinking water. The ICRC team returned to Uvira on Wednesday with supplies of medicine for the hospital, as well as 200 litres of diesel fuel for the city's water pumps. ICRC also provided Congolese Red Cross workers with blankets and heavy-duty gloves. A team of two ICRC water engineers is due to arrive in Uvira as soon as conditions allow.