At least 35,000 people have been forced to flee recent fighting between government forces and Rwandan Hutu rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The fleeing population reports arbitrary arrests, kidnappings, extortion and forced taxation by various armed groups.

United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) spokesperson Ron Redmond says government action has led to the current violence:

"These people have reportedly fled in the wake of the latest government military campaign code-named Kimia II, which began on 12 July in the Uvira territory of South Kivu,"

The government launched the campaign in a bid to force the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and their local militia allies to disarm. Some of the displaced are hiding in forests and villages, others have sought shelter in schools, churches and other public buildings. Mr Redmond went on to highlight the violence facing the displaced.

"There are widespread reports from refugees of atrocities including accusations of murder, rape and torture, on the part of the rebels.

Didier Etumba, Chief of Staff of the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), said, during a press briefing on Thursday, that the launch of the military campaign "has been a problem for the national community," adding that, "Even some Congolese and foreigners living here felt that the operations should not be launched, it was necessary to guarantee the protection of the population, but the majority of Congolese people believe that the time had come to finish with the FDLR,"

Thursday, 24 people, including 16 civilians, were killed during a Rwandan rebel attack on the army in the east region. For the last five months, the rebels, with logistical backing from the UN military, have been tracking Hutu rebels in North and South-Kivu provinces. The latest displacement brings the total number of civilians displaced in South Kivu since January to 536,000. And according the the UNHCR, in the whole of eastern DR Congo, the number of displaced has reached over 1.8 million.