Over 30,000 people flee DR Congo

Sat Nov 21, 2009

Ethnic clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo have forced more than 30,000 people to flee their homes, humanitarian groups say.

The clashes are ongoing between two tribes, which are fighting over control of a lake rich in fish in DR Congo's Equateur province.

The Doctors of Africa (Medecins d'Afrique) office said on Friday that such clashes throughout DR Congo have forced 30,600 people to become refugees.

"There's been a massive influx in the past few days because the fighting has become far more intense," said Rufin Mafouta, the head of the Doctors of Africa.

Last week, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that a little over 24,000 people had arrived in the Likouala region after crossing the Oubangui river, which serves as the border between DR Congo and Congo Republic.

"We have noticed a lot of unaccompanied children who have certainly lost their parents, as well as pregnant women and elderly people," Mafouta was quoted as saying by AFP.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated on Wednesday that clashes between the Monzaya and Enyele ethnic groups had killed at least 100 people.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/111844.html.