In the Democratic Republic of Congo, aid workers are warning of a cholera epidemic in eastern refugee camps holding thousands displaced by growing unrest. Megan Hunter of Doctors Without Borders says dozens of cases have already been confirmed.

Megan Hunter: '’We are concerned about the situation in the camp, because hygiene conditions are not very good, and cholera is a disease that is spread much more quickly when hygiene conditions are bad. So when there are not enough latrines, if people do not have enough access to clean water that they can properly wash their hands, they are at much more risk to get cholera than if they live in good hygienic conditions. So, because of that, we are concerned about this increase in cases that we've seen.’’

Some 250,000 people have been displaced in fighting between government forces and rebel militias in eastern Congo since August. The head of the UN mission to Congo, Alan Doss, accused rebels of committing war crimes in the village of Kiwanja.

Alan Doss: “We condemn it in the strongest terms, and we remind all concerned that under international humanitarian law and indeed under international law, these acts would be considered as war crimes.”

Human Rights Watch is calling for an increased UN peacekeeping force in the Congo on top of the existing 17,000 troops. A European Union proposal to send an additional 3,000 troops appears to have broken down.