UN humanitarian coordinator urges protection for civilians in DR Congo, insisting on strict adherence to international humanitarian law by all conflict parties.
Bruno Lemarquis, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the country, emphasized that civilians must be safeguarded and that combatants and civilian populations must be clearly distinguished during military actions. He warned that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and strikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools, are causing avoidable loss of life and must cease immediately. Civilians and civilian facilities are not legitimate targets.
In a national address from Kinshasa on Monday, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi reported that rebels from the March 23 Movement (M23) had launched an offensive against the Armed Forces of the DRC in South Kivu Province.
A Monday statement noted that several districts across South Kivu — including Uvira, Walungu, Mwenga, Shabunda, Kabare, Fizi, and Kalehe — have experienced heavy fighting and shelling in densely populated areas in recent days.
Since December 2, escalating clashes in South Kivu have resulted in at least 74 fatalities and have displaced more than 200,000 people, according to UN figures. This surge compounds an already dire humanitarian situation, given that South Kivu was hosting about 1.2 million internally displaced people prior to this latest escalation.
Since the start of the year, the security landscape in eastern Congo has markedly worsened. The M23 has intensified its assaults in both North Kivu and South Kivu, leading to substantial civilian casualties and widespread displacement.
