Fresh fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has pushed tens of thousands of people into overcrowded refugee camps in neighbouring Burundi, where aid groups say conditions are rapidly worsening.
Close to 90,000 people have crossed the border in recent weeks after violence flared again in South Kivu. Clashes involving M23 rebels drove huge numbers from their homes. The group briefly took control of Uvira, a city near the Burundi border, before saying it had pulled out, a claim Congolese authorities continue to dispute.
Health and relief organisations on the ground warn that severe shortages of food, clean water and shelter are putting lives at risk, especially those of women and children. Aid workers say many families arrived exhausted, frightened and hungry, with some going several days without meals.
Medical teams report treating about 200 patients daily since the influx began. Many are suffering from dehydration, malnutrition and stress-related conditions. Some women have given birth while fleeing the violence, with several deliveries taking place in temporary clinics soon after they arrived in Burundi.
Humanitarian agencies are also raising concerns about the rising threat of disease outbreaks. Overcrowded camps and poor sanitation have increased fears of cholera and measles, while malaria cases are expected to rise.
The United Nations food agency says it is expanding emergency assistance to more than 210,000 of the most vulnerable people displaced by the conflict. Since early December, roughly 500,000 people have been forced from their homes in South Kivu alone.
While emergency food aid is reaching over 70,000 new arrivals through transit centres in Burundi, aid groups warn the system is close to breaking down. Health centres have been looted, medicines are running low, and schools remain shut, deepening the crisis.
Relief organisations are now appealing urgently to donors for funding to keep food and medical support running in the months ahead, warning that any break in assistance could have devastating consequences for displaced families.
