About 200,000 people have been forced out of their homes in October alone amidst a new upsurge of fighting between the M23 Rebels and the DR Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) in the eastern province of North Kivu.
The renewed violence has the territories of Masisi and Rutshuru most affected with humanitarian aid now grappling to contain growing demand.
The UN Humanitarian Sect in the DRC has since come out to express its concern over the prevailing situation.
“Since the beginning of October, armed violence in the territories of Masisi and Rutshuru has caused the displacement of nearly 200,000 additional people. Due to the persistence of insecurity, humanitarian actors face significant constraints in accessing certain areas densely populated with displaced people” a statement by UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC Bruno Lemarquis reads.
In his statement, Lemarquis also stressed the importance of maintaining a safe humanitarian space to ensure that people fleeing violence can receive the necessary humanitarian assistance.
He called on all parties involved to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law by cooperating with humanitarian assistance efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of hundreds of displaced people in the region.
