Tens of thousands flee DR Congo to Burundi amid rebel takeover of key city

UN refugee agency says women and children arriving ‘exhausted and severely traumatised’ after fleeing eastern DRC.Published On 19 Dec 2025More than 84,000 people have fled to Burundi from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) amid a Rwanda-backed rebel offensive near the countries’ shared border, according to the latest United Nations figures.The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that Burundi had reached a “critical point” amid the influx of refugees and asylum seekers fleeing a surge in violence in the DRC’s South Kivu province.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘We don’t care about politics’: Violence-hit Uvira locals just want peacelist 2 of 3M23 announces exit from key DRC town as US-brokered ceasefire stutterslist 3 of 3M23 armed group says it begins withdrawing from key DR Congo town of Uviraend of list“Thousands of people crossing the border on foot and by boats each day have overwhelmed local resources, creating a major humanitarian emergency that requires immediate global support,” UNHCR said, noting that more than 200,000 people had now sought refuge in Burundi.“Women and children are particularly affected, arriving exhausted and severely traumatised, bearing the physical and psychological marks of terrifying violence. Our teams met pregnant women, who shared that they had not eaten in days.”The exodus began in early December when the M23 rebel group launched an assault that culminated in the capture of Uvira, a strategic city in the eastern DRC that is home to hundreds of thousands of people.Refugees started crossing into Burundi on December 5, with numbers surging after M23 seized control of Uvira on December 10. On Wednesday, M23 said it was withdrawing after international condemnation of its attack on the city.In Burundi, displaced families face difficult conditions at transit points and makeshift camps with minimal infrastructure, the UN said.Many have sheltered under trees without adequate protection from the elements, and a lack of clean water and proper sanitation.