Over 400,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of 2025 in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as conflict intensifies and rebellion advances toward major townships, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday, APA reports citing Xinhua.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a release that it is "gravely concerned" about the safety and security of civilians and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in eastern DRC.
According to the statement, persistent clashes between belligerents in these areas continue to worsen the protection environment for civilians in South Kivu and North Kivu provinces, which are already home to 4.6 million IDPs.
Violent clashes have been ongoing since Friday morning between government troops and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels in the town of Sake and its surrounding areas in North Kivu province. Loud explosions were heard around the town, which is the last barrier for the government to defend Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the resumption of hostilities by the M23. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, on Thursday, Guterres condemned M23's renewed offensive since the beginning of this year and its expansion into North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
As the offensive has caused devastating losses among the civilian population and increased the risk of a broader regional conflict, Guterres called on the M23 to immediately cease its offensive, withdraw from all occupied areas, and respect the ceasefire agreement implemented last August.
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