JAKARTA - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has requested an emergency fund of USD33 million to help more than 80,000 people displaced to Burundi after the M23 rebels backed by Rwanda carried out the latest attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The M23 militants carried out the attack after seizing major cities in Congo, namely Goma in January and Bukavu in February.
The M23 then launched its latest offensive in early December near the Burundi border, when Rwanda and Congo signed a peace deal in Washington, US.
On December 10, the M23 took control of Uvira, a city of hundreds of thousands of people, thus controlling the land border with the DRC's ally, Burundi.
According to local and security sources, under US pressure, the group said it would withdraw from Uvira, but several police and intelligence agents were still stationed in the city on Thursday.
"Following the recent violent clashes in South Kivu, especially around Uvira... a significant wave of refugees has occurred since December 5, with an estimated arrival of nearly 80,000 people through various entry points," said the UNHCR, Friday, December 19, quoted from AFP.
The refugees include 71,989 Congolese and 8,000 Burundians.
UNHCR predicts that the flow of refugees will continue to increase with an estimated 90,000 new refugees arriving in Burundi.
To that end, UNHCR requested an emergency fund of USD33 million on Thursday local time to allow them to accommodate the refugees in decent conditions.
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