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Hundreds of Burundian and Congolese soldiers fled to Burundi on Monday, December 8, as clashes with the AFC/M23 rebels intensified in South Kivu, eastern DR Congo, according to media reports. The soldiers who withdrew were disarmed when they reached the border between DR Congo and Burundi. One Burundian media outlet reported an “increase in soldiers, militia members, and civilians” fleeing to Burundi from South Kivu province, where fighting between the AFC/M23 rebels has worsened since the start of December. ALSO READ: Conflict moves closer to Uvira after AFC/M23 captures two towns The Burundian military has not issued any official comments regarding the withdrawal. Additional reports indicated that some Congolese soldiers and their allied Wazalendo militias traveled by boat to Kalemie, a region in nearby Tanganyika province. The government alliance consisting of Burundian forces and the Wazalendo militia has suffered several setbacks recently, with the AFC/M23 rebels seizing control of Kamanyola and Luvungi, areas close to the Burundian border. Fighting persisted on Monday in a region known as Sange, approximately 30 kilometers from Uvira, the second largest city in South Kivu.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).