A deadly cholera outbreak has claimed at least eight lives among Congolese refugees seeking sanctuary in neighboring Burundi.
The humanitarian crisis follows a massive exodus sparked by the Rwanda-backed M23 militant group’s recent capture of Uvira.
Roughly 80,000 displaced people now face “catastrophic” conditions in makeshift camps that lack food, clean water, and medicine.
An anonymous aid worker described an “indescribable stench” and chaos as families endure harsh rain and blistering sun.
Health officials have confirmed 150 cholera cases, while the international community remains slow to provide essential life-saving resources.
The United Nations recently launched an urgent appeal for $33 million to prevent these camps from becoming “places of death.”
Doctors Without Borders reported that malaria is rampant, with nearly half of all tested refugees showing positive results.
Medical teams also confirmed cases of measles, adding another layer of peril to an already exhausted and desperate population.
The M23 offensive has displaced 500,000 people in South Kivu since early December, despite a recent peace agreement.
Violence continues to haunt the region as geopolitical tensions shatter the lives of those trapped in the crossfire.