30 Burundian refugees feared dead after clash with Congolese security forces

Local activists and a Reuters witness have revealed that no less than 30 Burundian refugees have been feared dead after clashes with Congolese security forces over plans to send some of them home.

According to reports, police and soldiers opened fire as the refugees protested over the plan in the town of Kamanyola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, the activists told Reuters.

Wendo Joel, an activist from a Congolese pro-democracy and human rights group, said the refugees had seized a weapon and killed a soldier as they tried to free some of their arrested compatriots.

“The soldiers first fired in the air but there were many refugees,” Joel told Reuters. “I have counted 32 bodies. There are also about 100 wounded.”

However, Congo’s government spokesman Lambert Mende denied that those killed were refugees, saying that the clashes broke out when assailants from an unidentified armed group attacked an office belonging to the national intelligence agency.

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