Thousands flee amid surge in ‘horrific violence’ in Democratic Republic of the Congo
The United Nations has warned that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing a “humanitarian disaster of extraordinary proportions”, as violence and mass displacement is rapidly rising in the country’s southeast. A spokesperson for the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Monday that entrenched intercommunal conflict between several ethnic groups in Tanganyika province was “triggering spiraling displacement and human rights abuses”. “Moreover, fierce clashes between the Congolese armed forces and militias have continued since the end of January, while new armed groups threaten to wreak more havoc in the province,” Andrej Mahecic said in a statement. The surge in violence in Tanganyika – an area that is home to about three million people – was largely between the Twa, Luba and other ethnic groups. It comes amid more than 800 reported human rights abuses in the province over the first two weeks of February alone. “People fleeing for their lives near the provincial capital ...