Thousands flee Eastern Congo as M23 violence drives refugees into Burundi: Video
Thousands of Congolese refugees crossed into Burundi on Saturday, December 13, as fresh fighting linked to the M23 armed group intensified in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in North and South Kivu provinces.
Video from the Burundian border area near Bujumbura shows men, women and children gathered around a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) truck as they waited to be transported to designated refugee camps. At several transit points, families remain stranded, exposed to heavy rainfall and poor sanitary conditions while awaiting evacuation.
Humanitarian officials have raised concerns over shortages of food, shelter and other basic supplies. Many of the newly arrived refugees have yet to receive assistance, increasing the risk of disease, especially amid persistent rain.
“Several people were killed, and our soldiers fled. As they were fleeing, they fired shots and people died,” said one woman who fled the violence with her three-month-old son. She described narrowly escaping gunfire as others around her were struck.
The security situation remains volatile, with the M23 group reportedly advancing to within a few kilometres of the Burundi–DRC border. Displaced families, carrying only what they could salvage, continue to wait anxiously for relocation despite difficult terrain and worsening weather conditions.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
