DR Congo IV
Return to War, November 2008
Eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo have seen renewed fighting since the beginning of the year. Over 250,000 people have fled the most recent violence which flared in August between Congolese government forces and CNDP rebels, loyal to General Laurent Nakunda. They have been demanding protection from Rwandan Hutu rebels who fled to Congo after Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
This has renewed fears that the fighting will see a re-run of the five-year Congolese war, which involved nine nations, before it ended in 2003. The UN has accused both sides of war crimes during the latest upsurge in violence. Despite a peace deal, the presence of the world’s largest peace force, MONUC, and UN-backed elections, the resource-rich east of the country remains volatile.
A woman who has been displaced by recent fighting stands in front of all of her family possessions in a field, in the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 10th November, 2008.
A camp for people displaced by recent fighting is photographed in the shadow of Nyragongo volcano in Kibati, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 16th November, 2008.- A rebel soldier, loyal to General Laurent Nakunda, walks back from a night of fighting in the town of Kiwanja in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 6th November, 2008.
- A bleeding Congolese man cuffed by Congolese government troops (FARDC) is taken away with 25 others by FARDC soldiers at the Kibati checkpoint north of Goma, eastern Congo, Saturday Nov. 23, 2008. Government forces stopped a UN convoy they claim was infiltrated by CDNP rebels on its way into Goma, and took them in custody. UN officials say they were transporting 10 Mai Mai militiamen who had surrendered to the UN demobilization program.
- Congolese Government Soldiers (FARDC) wait at an army post 12 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Goma near the frontline, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 8th November, 2008.
- Civilians and soldiers flee renewed fighting in Kibati, five kilometers north of the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 7th November, 2008.
- Women walk along a road with their belongings on their heads, near the town of Kibati, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 3rd November, 2008.
- A young boy flees from renewed fighting in Kibati, five kilometers north of the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 7th November, 2008.
- Women flee from renewed fighting near Kibati, five kilometers north of the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 7th November, 2008.
- Woman who have been displaced by recent fighting wait at a food distribution point in Kibati, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 5th November, 2008.
- People who have been displaced by recent fighting, argue over their place in a queue at a food distribution point in Kibati, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 13th November, 2008.
- A young girl stands next to her mother, who is holding up all she has to feed her five children after being displaced from their home last week in in Kibati, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 3rd November, 2008.
- A woman tries to breast feed her two young twins who are suffering from malnutrition at Matumaini therapeutic feeding center run by Catholic nuns which has seen 96 new arrivals since the fighting in Rutshuru 70kms from the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 03 November 2008.
- A woman leans over the body of her dead son who died from malnutrition last night while they were sleeping outside after being displaced by renewed fighting in the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 9th November, 2008.
- A woman cradles her child who is suffering from cholera in the general hospital in the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 10th November, 2008.
- A woman leans over her daughter, Martina, who was caught in an explosion when a mortar landed near their home while fighting raged between the Congolese military and soldiers loyal to renegade General, Laurent Nakunda in Rushuturu Hospital, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 3rd November, 2008.
- Women who have been displaced by recent fighting wait with their young children who are suffering from cholera in a cholera treatment center in Kibati camp, near the Provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 23rd November, 2008.
- A young boy, who is suffering from cholera, is treated by a doctor and nurse in a cholera treatment center in the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 23rd November, 2008.
- A woman who has been displaced by fighting near Kibumba, sits in a therapeutic feeding center in the Don Bosco Shelter in the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 4th November, 2008.
- UN soldiers from Uruguay patrol the road between Rushturu and and the provincial capital of Goma, after intense fighting last week in the area between Congolese government soldiers and rebels loyal to renegade General Laurent Nakunda, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 3rd November, 2008.
- A woman walks down and empty street passed a burnt out car and UN tank in Kiwanja, near Rutshuru, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 6th November, 2008.
- A rebel soldier looks towards a person who was killed the previous night, in Kiwanja, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 6th November, 2008.
- A man looks over two corpses, killed last night by rebel troops in Kiwanja 70 kms north of the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 6th November, 2008.
- Jane Kanyere is consoled by a neighbour after her son, Moise Kasereka , a teacher, was killed in fighting in the town of Kiwanja 70 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 6th November, 2008.
- A rebel soldier, loyal to renegade General Laurent Nkuna, stands on guard in Kiwanja after a night of fighting with Mai Mai militia, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 6th November, 2008.
- A UN peacekeeper from India walks past a dead body killed last night in Rutshuru, near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 6th November, 2008.
- A bleeding Congolese man cuffed by Congolese government troops (FARDC) is taken away with 25 others by FARDC soldiers at the Kibati checkpoint north of Goma, eastern Congo, Saturday Nov. 23, 2008. Government forces stopped a UN convoy they claim was infiltrated by CDNP rebels on its way into Goma, and took them in custody. UN officials say they were transporting 10 Mai Mai militiamen who had surrendered to the UN demobilisation program.
- A young child whose family has been displaced cries in the therapeutic feeding center in the Don Bosco shelter near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 4th November, 2008.
- A Congolese Government soldier stands with his mascot monkey called James on top of his gun on the front line near the provincial capital of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 13th November, 2008.
- Rebel leader of the CNDP, General Laurent Nakunda (left) and ex Nigerian President Onasambo, watch a military display of rebel soldiers after a meeting in Jambe, near Rutshuru, in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the 16th November, 2008.
