In October 1996, UNHCR estimated that there were 717,991 Rwandan refugees in the province of North Kivu. Most were living in the five camps located around the city of Goma. The Kibumba (194,986), Katale (202,566) and Kahindo (112,875) camps were located on the Rutshuru road, north of Goma. The Mugunga (156,115) and Lac Vert (49,449) camps were located on the Sake road, less than ten kilometres west of Goma.219 Although the vast majority of the refugees were unarmed civilians, these camps also functioned as bases from which ex-FAR soldiers (of which there were many in the Lac Vert camp) and Interahamwe militiamen (especially in the Katale camp) could lead frequent incursions into Rwandan territory.220
219 Office of the Regional Special Envoy of UNHCR, Kigali, Rwanda, Zaire: “UNHCR population statistics as of 26 September 1996”.
220 Degni-Ségui estimated the number of ex-FAR units in the Zairian camps at 16,000; see Report on the situation of human rights in Rwanda submitted by René Degni-Ségui, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/1995/12).
