By Kudra Maliro
Muslims in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) face a difficult Ramadan this year as violence and insecurity surge in the country's eastern provinces, yet many are utilising the charitable season to help those in need.
Issa Bendelo, who fled his village when armed groups attacked it, is praying for peace during the holy month of Ramadan so he can return home.
"I hope Allah will answer our prayers and peace will return in DRC," Bendelo told TRT Afrika.
Despite being in need, Bendelo provides the newly displaced people with some of his food for breakfast.
The year 2023 has seen 5.8 million people displaced throughout the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tanganyika, located in the eastern region of the DRC, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) figures.
In January 2023 alone, non-state armed groups launched a series of attacks that led to the death of over 200 civilians in Ituri Province and the destruction of 2,000 houses and the closure or demolition of 80 schools.
Additionally, 52,000 individuals were displaced from a province with 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring North Kivu Province, a significant surge in attacks by armed groups began in March 2022, displacing over 521,000 people.
While roughly 120,000 of these individuals relocated to the outskirts of the provincial capital of Goma for safety, they remain in dire need.
Overall, 2.2 million people are displaced due to the ongoing conflict in the province.
"Many Muslims here in DRC are spending the holy Ramadan without their family members and are in a dire state. My heart goes out to them," Hadji Moussa Kalombo told TRT Afrika.
The DRC has about five million Muslims or three percent of the population. Islam is the third-largest religion in the country, after Catholics and Protestants.
Most Muslims live in the eastern part of the country, where the fight between the Congolese army and rebels has been particularly intense.
Local officials say the armed groups are believed to be members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – a Ugandan armed group based in eastern DRC that has pledged allegiance to DAESH (ISIS) and wages frequent deadly raids on villages.
"I call on all Muslims worldwide to come to the aid of the warring Muslims in DRC," Kalombo said.
"May Allah have mercy on us. This must end. Islam is the religion of peace, and we want only peace."
