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Kikuube, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Security operatives in Kikuube district have intercepted and apprehended 123 Congolese refugees who had escaped from Kyangwali refugee settlement area in Kyangwali sub county, Kikuube district.
The refugees escaped from the settlement area on Friday night and were intercepted and arrested at Nsonga landing site in Kyangwali sub county. They comprised of men, women and children.
Richard Tabaro, the Resident District Commissioner-RDC Kikuube told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Saturday that security got intelligence led information that some Congolese refugees had escaped from the settlement area and were planning to cross back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He says upon receiving the information, they alerted the Uganda peoples Defense forces-UPDF soldiers and other sister security operatives manning the Uganda-DR Congo border.
The operatives were able to intercept the 123 Congolese refugees before they could cross to the DR Congo where their lives would be in danger.
Tabaro says the Congolese had communicated to their relatives in the DR Congo who had also arranged to come and pick them.
He says after they were apprehended, they were later handed over to the management of Kyangwali refugee settlement area who transported them back to the settlement.
Joy Kebirungi, the camp commandant Kyangwali refugee settlement area confirmed the development but declined to avail more details.
It has been a habit for the Congolese refugees settling in Kyangwaali refugee settlement area to escape and go back to DRC and later cross back to the settlement.
Located in Western Uganda near the border with DRC, Kyangwali settlement is home to more than 120,000 refugees, according to Uganda Refugee statistics as of June 2020.
Due to its geographical location, Congolese refugees form the majority of the persons in the settlement, which also hosts Rwandese, Burundians, South Sudanese, Somalis and Kenyans.
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