U.N. Says Most New Congo Refugees Have Left Uganda

NAIROBI - Most of the 10,000 refugees who fled to Uganda from Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday have returned home, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said on Thursday.

UNHCR said more than 8,500 refugees went back on Wednesday, a day after fleeing their country fearing fresh violence there.

"Refugees (said) they had fled to Uganda for fear of reprisals after villagers ... stoned for a second day Tuesday a patrol of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo MONUC and local police forces," UNHCR officials in Uganda said in a statement.

"Refugees did not elaborate on the incident."

United Nations and Ugandan government officials found some 1,500 men, women and children still sheltering on the Ugandan side of the border on Wednesday, and UNHCR said there was an unconfirmed report there were 5,000 more refugees further south.

It said the displaced people its staff had found were in good condition. "Many had brought some foodstuff with them but complained of a lack of clothes and blankets," UNHCR said.

Uganda's military says the refugees fled DRC fearing reprisals from Congo's security forces after an anti-U.N. march organised by renegade General Laurent Nkunda turned violent.

Villagers in lawless eastern DRC often accuse the army and U.N. peacekeepers of failing to protect them from militia groups and heavily armed bandits who have roamed its dense forests since Congo's 1988-2003 war sucked in six regional countries.