DR Congo: Violence against civilians escalates – catastrophic humanitarian situation despite peace agreement

Update on the situation in the border area in Burundi

More than 30,000 refugees have arrived in Burundi since Monday, 8 December, following an escalation of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been providing 15,000 litres of water per day and has opened a mobile clinic in Ndava, Cibitoke province, to support people fleeing the violence.

“We have treated women who had to give birth on the road, people with gunshot wounds, and patients with pain caused by long hours of walking,” said Zakari Moluh, MSF project coordinator. “People are scared. They arrive in very precarious situations, without knowing how the situation will evolve.”

After a week of armed tensions along the border, including the landing of projectiles inside Burundi, MSF teams fear a large influx of refugees. Teams are continuing to provide emergency medical assistance and are calling on humanitarian actors to scale up their support.