Since the beginning of the year, more than 230,000 individuals have been forced to leave their homes due to the escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as reported by the United Nations.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR recently labeled this displacement as the most critical humanitarian crisis in the world. The eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, known for their abundance of resources, have been entrenched in conflict for the past thirty years. The M23 rebel group has emerged as one of the dominant armed factions in the region, with the DRC government branding them as a “terrorist movement”.
The M23 group has been gaining control over large swathes of eastern DRC since 2021, and recently took over the town of Masisi in North Kivu. The leader of M23’s political wing, Bertrand Bisimwa, claimed that they are engaged in a defensive war when speaking to Al Jazeera.
The spokesperson for UNHCR, Eujin Byun, highlighted that intense clashes between non-state armed groups and the Congolese army in North and South Kivu have exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation. Byun mentioned that the conflict is marked by widespread human rights violations and massive forced displacement.
In just one week in January, approximately 150,000 individuals were forced to flee due to fighting in the Masisi and Lubero territories. The situation in South Kivu’s Fizi territory is also critical, with 84,000 people seeking refuge there.
Civilians in these areas are facing indiscriminate bombings and sexual violence, with children being particularly vulnerable. The deteriorating humanitarian conditions are worsening rapidly, and access to affected populations is severely restricted by insecurity and the presence of violent armed groups.
UNHCR stands ready to provide aid as soon as access is granted, but emphasized the urgent need for additional funding to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the conflict.
