Burundi is struggling to cope with a rapid influx of over 40,000 refugees fleeing intensified fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UN has warned of an escalating humanitarian crisis as thousands arrive daily, many in urgent need of aid.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported that over 9,000 people crossed into Burundi in a single day last week, marking an unprecedented surge. “This is the first time Burundi has received this large number of people,” said Brigitte Mukanga-eno, UNHCR’s representative in Burundi.
The refugees are escaping renewed conflict in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebel group has launched its most significant offensive in over a decade. The fighting stems from longstanding ethnic and political tensions, as well as competition for Congo’s vast mineral wealth.
Rwanda has denied allegations from the DRC, UN, and Western governments that it is supporting M23 with arms and troops. Kigali claims it is defending itself against Hutu militias operating alongside the Congolese military.
The refugee crisis has put immense pressure on Burundi’s northwest regions, where many displaced people arrive injured or suffering from health issues like measles. Some, already displaced multiple times, struggle to survive. The UNHCR recounted the tragic case of a woman whose two children died from exhaustion shortly after reaching Burundi.
Since February 14, at least 36,000 people have crossed the Rusizi River on makeshift boats, while another 6,000 have entered via official border crossings in Bujumbura. Many are being temporarily sheltered in stadiums, schools, and churches.
The UNHCR has launched an emergency appeal for $40.4 million to support up to 258,000 displaced people across Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia. Plans are underway to relocate refugees to areas where they can receive humanitarian aid.
Burundi, which has deployed troops in eastern Congo for years, initially sent soldiers to target Burundian rebels. More recently, its forces have joined the fight against M23, further entangling the country in the region’s ongoing instability.
China’s largest state-owned airlines have criticised a U.S. plan to stop them flying over Russia on journeys to or from the United States, warning i...
President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and said he is considering strikes ...
Top U.S. officials on Wednesday criticised China’s expansion of rare earth export controls, warning it threatens global supply chains, though they s...
Britain has imposed new sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, along with 51 shadow fleet tankers, in an effort to tig...
Apple has pledged to increase its investment in China despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing, CEO Tim Cook said during a meeting with...
Transit flows through Central Asian countries have increased by 70% between 2020 and 2024, according to the Eurasian Development Bank’s Transport Projects Observatory.
More than 200 electric buses from China have arrived in Tashkent as part of Uzbekistan’s plan to modernise its public transport system and cut carbon emissions.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Moscow on Wednesday that the United States and its allies would "impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression" if the war in Ukraine does not come to an end.
Kenya's veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, who was imprisoned multiple times while fighting one-party autocracy and ran five times unsuccessfully for president, died aged 80 on Wednesday in India.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
President Donald Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to halt India’s purchases of Russian oil, as the U.S. seeks to cut Moscow’s energy revenue amid the Ukraine war.
China’s largest state-owned airlines have criticised a U.S. plan to stop them flying over Russia on journeys to or from the United States, warning it would inconvenience travellers and raise costs.
President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and said he is considering strikes targeting drug cartels in the region.
Top U.S. officials on Wednesday criticised China’s expansion of rare earth export controls, warning it threatens global supply chains, though they said Beijing could still reverse course to avoid U.S. retaliation.
Britain has imposed new sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, along with 51 shadow fleet tankers, in an effort to tighten energy restrictions and cut Kremlin revenue supporting the war in Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment