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'Human catastrophe' grips Congo 'Human catastrophe' grips Congo
(31 minutes later)
Fierce fighting between government and rebel forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, the Red Cross says. Fierce fighting between government and rebel forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, the Red Cross has said.
Diplomatic efforts are under way to end the crisis, which has threatened to spill over into neighbouring Rwanda. It said the number of displaced people was growing by the hour and that the precarious security situation was making it difficult to deliver aid.
A tense ceasefire is holding in the eastern city of Goma, where tens of thousands fled as rebels advanced. Intense diplomatic efforts are under way to end the crisis, which has displaced a total of 250,000 people.
But rebel leader Gen Laurent Nkunda has threatened to take the city unless UN peacekeepers guarantee the ceasefire. A tense ceasefire is holding in the eastern city of Goma.
Killings and rapes have been reported in Goma and aid has not been reaching the displaced. See detailed map of the area See detailed map of the area
Oxfam and other leading international aid agencies have suspended operations in the city, where a main hospital as well as numerous businesses and homes have been looted. Rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The Red Cross's Michael Khambatta told the BBC the priority now was providing the vast numbers of civilians forced from their homes with food, medical aid, shelter and some sort of security. The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.
Gen Nkunda has also objected to government plans for foreign involvement in exploiting the country's vast mineral wealth.
The Congolese government has refused to negotiate with Gen Nkunda, calling him a terrorist.
'Extremely unsafe'
With the lull in the fighting and a desperate shortage of food and water in Goma, thousands of people who sought refuge there have been leaving the city, heading to the village of Kibati, about 12km (7.4 miles) to the north.
The BBC's Peter Greste in Goma says the road from the city is choked with human misery. They need food, water, shelter and, most of all, protection Marcal Izard Red Cross spokesman For mile after mile, it is full of families bent forward with their lives on their backs: stoves, food, clothes, bedding and children.
Aid agencies have all but stopped work because of security fears.
"The whole population in Goma, and around Goma are feeling extremely unsafe," Red Cross spokesman Marcal Izard told the BBC.
"They need food, water, shelter and, most of all, protection, [and] some sense of knowing that they will not be attacked, that they will be spared by this new round of clashes."
A spokesman for the UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR, told the BBC that the situation was "extremely critical".
A Congolese aid-worker based in Goma, Godefroid Marhenge, told the BBC's Network Africa programme that some displaced people were without water or shelter, and "in desperate need of humanitarian assistance".
Exodus as terror spreadsQ&A: DR Congo conflictCountry profile: DR Congo Oxfam and other leading international aid agencies have suspended operations in the city, where a main hospital as well as numerous businesses and homes have been looted.
Gen Nkunda said on Thursday that he was opening a "humanitarian corridor" for people to return to their homes, and so that aid could reach those trapped between his forces and UN soldiers backing up government troops in the city.
But our correspondent said that instead than an open corridor, he found people hurrying back to Goma.
"Someone has been shooting at us," one breathless woman said. "We can't go any further."
Overstretched peacekeepersOverstretched peacekeepers
After several days of fighting, Gen Nkunda declared the ceasefire on late on Wednesday, and his Tutsi forces are positioned some nine miles (15km) from Goma - the provincial capital of North Kivu.After several days of fighting, Gen Nkunda declared the ceasefire on late on Wednesday, and his Tutsi forces are positioned some nine miles (15km) from Goma - the provincial capital of North Kivu.
While thousands have sought refuge in Goma, many thousands more have fled into the forests, where the militias cannot find them, and the aid agencies cannot help them Peter GresteDR Congo-Rwanda border class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7698381.stm">Eyewitness: 'Chaos in Congo city' class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7699701.stm">In pictures: Goma chaos class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1072684.stm">Timeline: DR Congo However, Gen Nkunda has threatened to take the city unless UN peacekeepers guarantee the ceasefire and security in Goma.
He said he was opening a "humanitarian corridor" so aid could reach the thousands of people trapped between his forces and UN soldiers backing up government troops in the city. Looting, killings and rapes were reported in the city on Thursday, much of it blamed on retreating Congolese troops.
Much of the looting has been blamed on retreating Congolese troops. Meanwhile, intense international diplomatic efforts are going in a bid to maintain the ceasefire and bring an end to the fighting:
The UN is considering redeploying some of its 17,000-strong force in DR Congo - the world's largest - to bolster around 5,000 peacekeepers in the city.
    class="bulletList">• The parliament in DR Congo has called on government to negotiate with Gen Nkunda, although President Joseph Kabila has previously refused to do so
As the tense ceasefire held early on Friday, a multi-pronged diplomatic effort was under way to resolve the crisis. • UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is "deeply concerned" about the situation, and has called on regional leaders to take concrete measures to broker a peace deal
Thousands of people leave Goma • EU are diplomats meeting in Brussels to discuss whether to send troops to back up UN peacekeepers, after EU envoy Louis Michel met Mr Kabila and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent envoys to both DR Congo and Rwanda as each accused the other of launching cross-border incursions. • The EU is also to discuss sending troops to the area to aid the humanitarian effort
The African Union is to hold crisis talks on Friday and EU efforts have been ongoing to bring Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Joseph Kabila together. • An African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council is to hold crisis talks at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa
The EU is also to discuss sending troops to the area to aid the humanitarian effort. • US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer has held talks with Mr Kabila in DR Congo's capital, Kinshasa.
Fleeing for the forests
Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer has held talks with Mr Kabila in DR Congo's capital, Kinshasa. Exodus as terror spreadsQ&A: DR Congo conflictCountry profile: DR Congo
Many in DR Congo say Rwanda supports Gen Nkunda's forces - something Rwanda denies.
In the past two months, more than 200,000 people have been driven from their homes across eastern DR Congo.
While thousands have sought refuge in Goma, many thousands more have fled into the forests, where the militias cannot find them, and the aid agencies cannot help them.
Gen Nkunda has told the BBC his goal was to protect the Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the country's 1994 genocide.
Correspondents say a race for the area's mineral wealth is fuelling the conflict as much as ethnic enmities.
There are growing concerns for the welfare of 39 wildlife rangers who were forced to flee into dense forest after their headquarters in eastern DR Congo were stormed by rebels.
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