200811292308 | More Congolese refugees cross to Uganda as Nkunda captures seven towns

More Congolese refugees cross to Uganda as Nkunda captures seven towns

Refugees streaming into Western Uganda by the thousands are reporting that the rebel force led by renegade Gen. Laurent Nkunda have captured seven towns in their quest to acquire more territory in the war-torn Eastern Democratic of Congo. News from Ishahsa in Kanungu, Western Uganda indicates that thousands of refugees have flooded into the border town following renewed fighting in the DRC.

According to the hungry and exhausted refugees, Gen. Nkunda’s fighters have captured the towns of Kiwanja, Nyamirima, Nyaruhanga, Kiryandoni, Kisaro and Ishasha on the Congo side and gunshots could be heard from across the border.

There is a heavy deployment of UPDF troops and the Minister of State for Relief and Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru were on hand to together with United Nations High Commission for refugees officials to assess the situation.

There is an acute shortage of shelter, food, water and medicine and fears of a cholera outbreak are widespread. Many of the refugees are said to be surviving on sugarcane and jack fruit provided by sympathetic locals.

This renewed aggression contradicts recent reports widely carried in the international media that Gen. Nkunda had made a turn-around and proposed the integration of his troops into the Congolese Army.