More than 50 Congolese refugees who fled escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have died after crossing into neighbouring Burundi, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.
The UN agency said 53 deaths had been recorded among refugees in Burundi, with at least 25 linked to a cholera outbreak. Six others reportedly died from anaemia and complications associated with severe malnutrition, while investigations are ongoing to determine the causes of the remaining deaths.
The crisis follows a sharp rise in displacement after renewed fighting near the Congo–Burundi border in early December, during which rebel forces seized the strategic town of Uvira in South Kivu Province. Since then, more than 100,000 Congolese civilians have fled into Burundi seeking safety, the UNHCR said.
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South Kivu Governor Jean Jacques Purusi described the situation facing refugees in Burundi as one of extreme hardship, warning that the humanitarian emergency had been largely overlooked by the international community and global media.
In response, Congo’s Ministry of Social Affairs said it had launched a humanitarian mission to support displaced citizens in Burundi, supplying food, medicines and essential non-food relief items.
The UN refugee agency said it was working closely with Burundi’s health authorities and humanitarian partners to contain the cholera outbreak and improve living conditions in overcrowded refugee settlements. Burundi’s refugee protection agency has yet to comment on the situation.
