Local authorities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are reporting that almost 90,000 people have been uprooted from their homes following recent military operations in the region, the United Nations humanitarian arm said today.
At least six civilians have died and dozens of others have been injured in the fighting between the national army, or FARDC, and fighters associated with the Ugandan rebel group known as the Allied Democratic Forces-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU) in the Beni territory in North Kivu province
"Since the start of the military operations, new cases of killing and other human rights abuses have been registered in the afvillages have been looted and people forced to live in fear of being robbed or attacked in the towns of Eringeti and Mutwangafected areas," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
In addition, villages have been looted and people forced to live in fear of being robbed or attacked in the towns of Eringeti and Mutwanga, the epicentres of the clashes.
The majority of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are staying with host families, while some are seeking refuge in schools and churches.
Protection, food, water, shelter and medicines are the most urgent needs at present, OCHA said, adding that humanitarian agencies in Beni have been mobilized to assist the displaced.
The Office added that access to the affected areas is difficult owing to a high level of insecurity in the northern area of Beni.
In an effort to boost security for the humanitarian community, the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) set up a mobile base for four days last week in Mutwanga. It is also planning to set up a mobile temporary base.
The rebel ADF started carrying out attacks inside Uganda from hideouts in the west of the country and rear bases in neighbouring DRC in 1996, but has been rarely heard of since 2004 following a major offensive by the Ugandan army against it.
The group is one of several foreign armed factions operating in eastern DRC, including the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), which also has its roots in Uganda, and the Rwandan Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda (FDLR).
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A nation will never be controlled or governed using evil techniques such threats, killings, kidnapping, imprisoning etc...They first use them as tools to establish dictatorship for selfish interests and minerals trade, so there is no way they can escape their resposibility to denying being the instigators and commanders. Uganda rebels will never fight against the DRC army inside Kivu and resist them for long. This is abnormal. There are many factions of either Rwandese or Ugandan rebels that are coming in turn to have their share in the minerals trade while, in the same time, helping president Joseph Kabila by substituting Tutsi people for the 2011 presidential election. many villages will be displaced and Tutsis will replace; and that is the technique. If it was a DRCongo rebellion group they could have stopped it long time ago; why not this one? Jesus Christ is the witness and the judge. Tomorrow will tell