United Nations has reported that around 700 people have dead and 2,800 have been injured in just five days Within the framework of the clashes between the Congolese Rebel Group Movement March 23 (M23), backed by Rwanda, and the government forces in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “It is foreseeable that this number is increased when there is more information available,” said the spokesman of the UN Secretary General, Stéphane Dujarric, with respect to the balance carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO) between 26 and 30 of January.
For his part, the head of the United Nations Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, explained that the forces of the M23, after taking rubber, are about 60 kilometers north of Bukavu, the capital of the province of Kivu South. “We are concerned not only with the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but This has the potential to trigger a broader regional conflict“He indicated at a press conference, adding that M23 forces are close to taking Kavumu airport.
Lacroix has indicated that the UN has staff in the city of Bukavu. “Our colleagues are currently working to ensure that they are safe in the context of what is happening in Kivu del Sur,” he added. In this context, it has vindicated that all diplomatic efforts “in the attempt to achieve the cessation of hostilities in the region are” utmost importance “.
Protection as priority
Since the United Nations peace maintenance mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco) they have also stressed that the situation of increasing tension and instability has triggered a large volume of internal displacements. Thus, a “significant number” of people have been forced to seek refuge in the bases of the monusco, which are “under a significant pressure when providing rations of water, sanitation and other types of support to those who are inside. ” “The priority of the mission remains the protection of their staff, their assets and, of course, of the numerous civilians who take refuge in their facilitiesboth civilians and unarmed combatants. All of them are protected by the Monusco in accordance with international humanitarian law, “the mission explained in a statement.
To this end, the UN mission has said to be “intensifying political commitment” with local authorities to work together in humanitarian, security, human rights or communications, as well as to determine “the legal statute of the territories under the control of the M23 and the RDF “.
This occurs after the leader of the Congo River Alliance headed by the M23, Corneille Nangaa, threatened to reach the capital of the country, Kinshasa in the middle of the middle of the rebound of conflict with the Congolese armywhich has made alarms jump on the humanitarian situation.
