The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire in strife-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amid rising military and intercommunal violence in three of the country’s provinces.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, voiced alarm over persistent instability and the deepening humanitarian crisis in the DRC.
“The situation in the east remains critical, particularly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, where the UN peacekeeping mission continues to fulfil its mandate, with blue helmets playing a vital role in protection,” Dujarric said, referring to MONUSCO, the UN mission
deployed in the DRC.
Ituri
The situation in Ituri is especially dire, with a surge in clashes.
Armed groups are exploiting the distraction caused by the M23 rebel offensive in neighbouring North and South Kivu provinces to escalate attacks.
According to Dujarric, fighting between the CODECO militia and Zairean armed groups is targeting civilians, particularly around displaced persons’ camps, farmland, and mining sites.
Amid this escalating violence, MONUSCO is supporting local political dialogue initiatives, which are beginning to yield results.
Since January, over 1,000 Zairean fighters have been demobilised through a government-backed disarmament program.
North Kivu
North Kivu remains another major flashpoint. In Goma, non-essential international UN staff, evacuated during intense clashes between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and government forces, are now returning.
However, Dujarric noted that MONUSCO faces challenges in protecting civilians in M23-controlled areas, where the group has held the city since late January.
A Bangladeshi engineering company under MONUSCO is working to repair damaged roads to restore humanitarian access.
The situation in Rutshuru territory is also alarming, with renewed clashes between armed groups displacing 7,500 people, many of whom have fled multiple times. “One can only imagine the state they’re in,” Dujarric added.
Security continues to deteriorate even in areas not directly impacted by fighting.
In Walikale Centre, armed groups looted homes, shops, and the premises of the sole humanitarian organisation operating there, severely disrupting access to medical care and essential food aid.
South Kivu
South Kivu is not spared from this spiral of violence.
Dujarric reported that armed groups attacked Mukongola General Hospital twice in a month, targeting the maternity ward and medicine stocks.
Clashes ongoing since 27 March in Fizi and Kalehe territories have forced over 20,000 people from their homes, many now without shelter.
“Some are staying with host families, but many are in open areas without water or food,” the spokesperson lamented.
Ongoing military operations are complicating humanitarian access to affected populations. Dujarric called for “immediate, safe, and sustained” access to all impacted areas.
He also urged all stakeholders to honour the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2773, adopted this year, which calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
TE/sf/lb/jn/APA