Thousands flee into Burundi after M23 seizes Bukavu in DRC

Thousands of refugees have fled into Burundi from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since M23 rebels seized the nearby city of Bukavu, Burundi's Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

The rebels took the city on Friday in the latest stage of its deadly advance in the region that has displaced hundreds of thousands.

Burundi's Interior Minister Martin Niteretse confirmed that refugees had been crossing into Burundi, but the government was still evaluating their numbers.

"Thousands of Congolese refugees fled because they panicked on learning that the city of Bukavu was taken," he told AFP.

Thousands cross border

The refugees have fled the Kamanyola area in DR Congo across the Ruzizi River and taken refuge in the northwestern Burundian province of Cibitoke, a source in a non-governmental organisation on the Burundian side of the border added.

"There are more than 10,000 of them, and others have continued to arrive today," said the source, who did not want to be named, on Sunday.

On Friday, officials said Burundi had briefly closed a key border crossing with DR Congo to stem the flow of refugees.

Burundi's army has sent more than 10,000 troops to eastern DR Congo to help the Congolese army since October 2023 in its fight against other armed groups.

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