Nearly 80,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to escalating violence and human rights abuses, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported. The ongoing conflict between Congolese government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has created a dire humanitarian crisis, particularly in North and South Kivu provinces.
Speaking in Geneva, UNHCR Deputy Director Patrick Eba described the situation as highly volatile, with “hundreds of thousands of people on the move.” He noted that over 61,000 Congolese refugees have crossed into Burundi since January, as the fighting intensifies.
The crisis has been accompanied by shocking levels of sexual violence. In the last two weeks of February alone, humanitarian organizations recorded 895 cases of rape—an average of more than 60 per day. This alarming trend underscores the vulnerability of civilians, particularly women and girls, in conflict zones.
Additionally, civilians face the threat of explosive remnants of war, making daily activities such as farming and travel extremely dangerous. Hospitals have also been targeted, with armed men recently raiding medical facilities in North Kivu’s capital, Goma, and abducting patients.
The deteriorating security situation has hindered aid delivery to those in need. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) was forced to suspend its operations in some conflict-affected areas but has since resumed emergency food assistance in parts of North Kivu, aiming to reach 210,000 people.
Meanwhile, M23 rebels have reportedly ordered internally displaced people (IDPs) to vacate camps around Goma, forcing over 414,000 people to flee in the past four weeks. Only around 17,000 IDPs remain sheltered in schools and churches.
Eba emphasized the need for international protection for Congolese refugees, stating that those fleeing the conflict should be granted refugee status under international law. While the U.S. has frozen humanitarian aid to some countries, the UNHCR confirmed that a waiver has allowed funding for emergency assistance in the DRC to continue.
With over one million Congolese refugees across Africa and 6.7 million internally displaced within the country, the crisis continues to grow, demanding urgent global attention and humanitarian response.
