The Ugandan Government says its soldiers are intervening to try and prevent ethnic clashes in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Fighting between the Hema and Lendu communities over the past seven months has led to an estimated 2,000 deaths and considerable numbers of people leaving their homes.

The Ituri province which is home to the communities is under the nominal control of rebels allied to Uganda in the civil war being fought in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Video footage taken by an aid agency of mutilated bodies and injured people, prompted a statement to a newspaper by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, saying that Ugandan troops had intervened when asked to do so by local authorities, and that the situation is now quiet.

Attacks continue

But it is understood that attacks in remote villages are continuing.

The Hema and Lendu communities have feuded for generations but the conflict now has created one of the most acute humanitarian crises in central Africa.

The International Red Cross is the only sizeable aid organisation working in the area. A Red Cross representative said it has supplies for the 100,000 displaced people who can be reached.

Remote locations

But the actual number of those in need could be nearer 200,000 because many are in remote locations or hiding in the forest.

He said their other priorities are the wounded and assisting the handful of functioning medical facilities.

The Ugandan Defence Minister, Stephen Kavuma, when asked if the fighting made a mockery of Uganda's claim that it entered Congo to stop genocide, said that the killings should be an eye-opener and he appealed for the problem to be handled by the region and the world community.