Violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have made more than 400,000 displaced since the beginning of January, alerts the UN

The M23, a armed group supported by Rwanda, has continued to gain ground in the east of the country from its resurgence in 2021, until now surrounding Goma almost.

More than 400,000 people have been moved since the start of the year because of the violence that broke out again in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), alerted the UN on Friday, January 24. The United Nations claim that an attack on Goma, almost surrounded by an armed group supported by Rwanda, would be “catastrophic”.

“We are seriously concerned about the safety of civilians and people displaced inside the country in eastern DRC. The conflict intensified in the South and North Kivu provinces”said an UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh, during a press point for the UN agencies in Geneva.

These two provinces already house 4.6 million displaced people. The M23, an armed group supported by Rwanda, has continued to gain ground in the east of the country from its resurgence in 2021 until now surrounding Goma, the main city in the east of the DRC.

The UN secretary general, “alarm” By resumption of fighting in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), condemned Thursday the extension of the M23 rebels offensive. This increases “The risk of a regional war”relayed his spokesperson, evoking the presence of the Rwandan forces.

“Any attack (…) against Goma may have catastrophic consequences for hundreds of thousands of civilians”, Relayed in Geneva a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, during the press briefing. The High Commissioner, Volker Türk, “Call all parties to the conflict not to worsen tensions”to ensure respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, in particular by not leading access to humanitarian aid.