Kinshasa, Jan 17 (IANS) – Since the start of 2025, approximately 237,000 people have been displaced in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), exacerbating one of the world’s most severe yet underreported humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The surge in displacement follows escalating clashes between armed groups and the DRC military in North and South Kivu provinces. These regions, already home to 4.6 million internally displaced people, are now witnessing intensified violence. UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun highlighted the alarming situation, noting that from January 1 to 6, intense fighting in North Kivu’s Masisi and Lubero territories displaced approximately 150,000 people. In South Kivu’s Fizi territory, another 84,000 individuals were forced to flee, with civilians enduring indiscriminate bombings.
During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, President Felix Tshisekedi announced that the DRC military had recaptured several key areas in the east previously held by the March 23 Movement rebellion. Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya assured that the DRC Armed Forces are determined to restore security, recover lost territory, and ensure the country’s territorial integrity.
In December 2024, a peace summit aimed at addressing the ongoing conflicts in the eastern DRC was abruptly called off due to deadlock in negotiations. The summit was to be hosted by Angolan President Joao Lourenco and was intended to bring together DRC President Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to negotiate a resolution to the tensions in the region. This summit was a part of the “Luanda Process,” an African Union-backed initiative launched in 2022 to promote regional stability.
The violence in the region is largely driven by the M23 rebel group, which has been advancing and capturing significant territories. The DRC government accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23, a claim Kigali denies. In turn, Rwanda has accused the DRC military of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Rwandan rebel group implicated in the 1994 Tutsi genocide. The ongoing conflict has severely affected civilians and worsened the humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC.
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