Violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has displaced nearly one million people since January 2023, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has reported.
Development Diaries reports that an estimated 6.1 million are internally displaced, a 17 percent increase from October, according to the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix.
It is understood that civilians have been killed or forced to flee their homes due to violence and attacks by armed groups.
At least 46 people were killed in the latest incident, which occurred at a camp for displaced persons in eastern Ituri province.
‘This recent gruesome attack is a testament to the intolerable dangers displaced people in DRC face daily’, IOM’s Director for the Department of Emergencies, Federico Soda, said.
‘IOM strongly condemns this heinous violation of international humanitarian law and recalls that attacks against civilians may constitute war crimes.
‘Concerted efforts are desperately needed to end the violence and help the Congolese people find peace’.
Millions of Congolese now face acute food insecurity and other critical needs. Overall, more than 26 million people across the DRC need humanitarian aid.
The UN agency said it is scaling up operations to enable a more effective crisis response to the humanitarian emergency caused by the surge in violence.
Photo source: UNICEF/Arlette Bashizi
