Kinshasa, Jan 25 (IANS): 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.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday said in a release that it is "gravely concerned" about the safety and security of civilians and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in eastern Congo, reports Xinhua news agency.
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.
All humanitarian routes between Goma, Sake and Kalehe, three zones experiencing intense violence, have been cut off due to ongoing hostilities, the UNHCR reported on Friday. The report also noted that an influx of injured individuals has overwhelmed hospital emergency capacities.
A widespread sense of panic has gripped displaced residents in Goma and its surrounding neighbourhoods amid ongoing shelling by the M23. Several foreign embassies have issued alerts, advising their citizens to leave North Kivu while airports and borders remain operational.
Guillaume Njike Kaiko, spokesperson for the DRC military in North Kivu, said on Friday that the effort to liberate Sake, now occupied by the M23, is still underway.
"We have already halted the enemy's advance toward Goma, and at this moment, we urge the population to remain calm because our armed forces are fully engaged on the front lines against the enemy. We assure you that the army will restore order on the ground," he told Xinhua over the phone.
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.