Refugees International: Reports: Democratic Republic of Congo: Recent Violence Shows More Efforts Needed to Bring Peace

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Democratic Republic of Congo: Recent Violence Shows More Efforts Needed to Bring Peace

On Saturday, August 5, fighting erupted in Saké, near the town of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Troops from the new national army, the FARDC, exchanged fire with fighters from an old hold-out brigade linked with the Rwandan-backed rebel general, Laurent Nkunda. The fighting broke out over rumors that each side was moving to disarm the other.

These photos, sent to RI by Baudouin Miruho, a human rights activist with the Youth Association for Children's Rights and the Fight Against Racism and Hate, provide a vivid reminder of the day-to-day toll exacted in the DRC, despite successful elections held on July 30 for president and national assembly delegates.

DRC 2006: Casualty from August 5 Fighting

Photo Credit: Baudouin Miruho
08/05/2006
Three fighters were killed in the clashes between the new national army and rebel forces linked with Laurent Nkunda, and between 1,000 and 3,000 people fled the scene of the fighting in search of safety in Goma. Following the violence, the two opposing groups left Saké, and were replaced by peacekeepers from the UN mission to the DRC, MONUC.