More than 3,000 people have fled into Zambia from the Democratic Republic of Congo to escape the violence in their country, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said the unrest in parts of the southeasters DR Congo has driven more than 3,360 refugees into northern Zambia since the end of August, the largest influx in the past five years.
People “are escaping inter-ethnic clashes, as well as fighting between Congolese security forces and militia groups”, UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic said.
DR Congo has been marred by conflict since November 2016 after President Joseph Kabila failed to step down at the end of his mandate.
The country failed to conduct an election, meaning Kabila stayed on as president.
Opposition leaders accused Kabila of frustrating election processes in order to cling on to power.
The electoral authority however said it could not conduct the vote due to logistical challenges, and the need to ensure all eligible voters were registered.
With fighting erupting in various parts of the country, thousands fled to Zambia, mostly from the northern Katanga and Tanganyika regions.
According to the UNHCR, around 60 percent of those arriving in Zambia are children, many showing signs of malnutrition.
The new arrivals, who bring the number of DRC refugees and asylum seekers in Zambia to around 27,300, are mostly being taken to the Kenani transit centre in Nchelenge district, 90km from the border.
