Burundi/DRC: Congolese refugees start returning from Burundi; mixed feelings about security

Hundreds of Congolese refugees – mostly women and students – have returned home from Burundi amid mixed feelings on the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Between 100 and 200 Congolese refugees have been crossing back home every day since last Saturday. Most of them were living in villages outside the camps in Burundi's border zone, where an estimated 34,000 people sought refuge after fleeing conflict in eastern DRC in early June. Most of the returnees are women who leave their families in Burundi, crossing back into the DRC to assess the situation in their villages and to check on their property. They say they plan to report back to their families in Burundi before planning their return.