The UN humanitarian coordinator for Congo expressed concern Friday at the large number of people displaced in North Kivu province due to recently intensified clashes between the army and rebels.
“Since January 1, 2025, more than 100,000 people have been displaced in Masisi territory following the continued clashes between the M23 and the Congolese army,” the official said in a statement.
Bruno Lemarquis expressed disappointment at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in North Kivu and urged respect for international humanitarian law.
More than 2.8 million people are already displaced in North Kivu, more than one-third of the population of the province.
Towns seized
The M23 rebel group recently intensified clashes in the eastern Congo seizing key towns such as Katale and Masisi forcing many to flee their homes.
There are dozens of rebel groups operating in eastern Congo, but the M23 rebels whose fighters are said to be mainly ethnic Tutsis are the most prominent.
The statement said the violence also targets those in displaced persons sites, in violation of the civilian nature of the sites.
“Humanitarian staff also pay a heavy price. The year 2024 was particularly deadly, with 9 humanitarian workers killed and more than 400 incidents directly targeting humanitarian actors and their operations,” it said.
Decades-long conflict
Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, a claim that Rwandan President Paul Kagame has frequently denied.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in October that 7 million people were internally displaced in Congo due to the conflict and disasters.
About 6 million people have been killed in conflicts in Congo since 1996, according to reports.
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