Thousands flee renewed violence in eastern DR Congo as crisis spills into Burundi

By Nathan Morley

Tens of thousands of Congolese have fled renewed fighting in eastern DR Congo, with more than 80,000 people crossing into Burundi in recent weeks. Violence in South Kivu province has displaced at least half a million people, and the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

Since the clashes began, health facilities in South Kivu have been looted, medicines have run out, and schools remain closed. Communities are now without safe water, medical care or reliable livelihoods. 

Education has been severely disrupted, with more than 391,000 children out of school, according to the World Food Programme. Around 8,000 refugees are currently sheltering at the Cishemere transit camp in Burundi. 

Families describe repeated displacement, the loss of relatives and long journeys made in search of safety. Conditions in the camp are worsening, with shortages of water, medicine and decent sanitation compounded by the rainy season.

A peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda has failed to halt fighting in South and North Kivu, and aid agencies warn that resources are stretched thin as Burundi now hosts nearly 200,000 refugees. The nearly 90,000 people who fled to Burundi in mid‑December face especially dire conditions, with limited access to food and water. 

The UN refugee agency says children and women — including pregnant women — are among the most vulnerable. Many are living in makeshift shelters that offer little protection from the weather, sleeping on bare ground without blankets and receiving insufficient food. Severe overcrowding has heightened the risk of cholera, measles and malaria.