Hundreds of Congolese flee to Uganda amid fresh clashes between M23 rebels, govt forces 

Hundreds of Congolese refugees on Saturday morning fled into Uganda through the Bunagana border, days after they returned home when Ugandan government and its humanitarian agency partners started decommissioning Nyakabande transit camp where they had been accommodated.
“Over 1,000 Congolese refugees have already crossed into Uganda following fresh fights between the M23 rebels and the Congolese government forces. 

They are currently camped at Bunagana border town in Kisoro District. We appeal to the humanitarian organizations in liaison with the office of the Prime Minister to transport these refugees straight to Nyakabande refugee transit camp where they can be accommodated. We faced a lot of challenges as we accommodated them here at Bunagana town council in March this year when they crossed into Kisoro district because of similar fights,” The LCIII chairman for Bunagana town council, Mr Ismail Ndayambaje said.

Mr Ndayambaje added that they started hearing gunshots near the Uganda- DRC border in the wee hours of Saturday morning and by 11am, hundreds of Congolese had crossed into Uganda through Bunagana border post as they fled for their safety.
On Tuesday this week, the Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Hajji Shafique Ssekandi who was accompanied by the UNHCR officials told journalists that Nyakabande refugee transit camp was to be decommissioned by October 31 and that hey required all the Congolese refugees who had been accommodated there to have either voluntarily accepted to be relocated to the different settlement camps in western Uganda or returned to their home country.
“Because there was no fighting between the M23 rebels and the Congolese government forces for about two months, many Congolese refugees opted to return to their home country,” he said on Tuesday.

But after the Saturday morning influx following renewed clashes, Mr Ssekandi said plans were underway to transport the fleeing Congolese to Nyakabande refugee transit camp where they will be accommodated.
“Despite the government deadline of decommissioning Nyakabande refugee transit camp by October 31, plans are underway to transport the Congolese refugees to the same transit camp because of the fresh fighting,” Mr Ssekandi said on Saturday afternoon.

The commandant at the transit camp, Mr Daniel Kisaamo said they have already arranged accommodation, food and other services for the refugees.
“We are welcoming them. We are preparing food, accommodation and other services for the Congolese refugees that are running away from the fresh fights,” Mr Kisaamo said.