The humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is worsening, with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) raising alarms over the dire conditions faced by displaced communities. Continued fighting has forced approximately 350,000 people from their homes, leaving them without shelter or basic necessities.
The crisis has escalated since the M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, seized control of Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, last month. The rebel group has since advanced southward, raising fears of an even broader humanitarian catastrophe. Local officials warn that the situation is becoming increasingly untenable, with thousands of displaced people struggling to find safety and aid.
Speaking via video link from Geneva, UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun described the desperate conditions facing internally displaced people. Many are unable to return home due to the destruction of temporary camps and the presence of unexploded ordnance. In Goma alone, 70% of displacement camps have been destroyed, while others in Minova have suffered severe damage. With formal shelters no longer an option, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to seek refuge in churches, hospitals, and other improvised accommodations, often without access to food, clean water, or medical care.
The worsening security situation has also led to a surge in crime, further endangering those already vulnerable. Aid agencies are struggling to provide assistance, hampered by ongoing violence. The risk of disease outbreaks is increasing as overcrowded shelters and poor sanitation create conditions for infections to spread rapidly.
Meanwhile, attacks on civilians continue to mount. Earlier this week, the CODECO militia launched a deadly nighttime assault on villages in eastern Congo, killing more than 80 civilians, according to the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO. The group, one of many armed factions vying for control of land and resources, has repeatedly targeted displacement camps, exacerbating the suffering of those forced to flee their homes.
Congo, along with the United Nations and Western governments, has accused Rwanda of supporting M23 by supplying troops and weapons—an allegation Kigali denies. The recent wave of violence has left at least 3,000 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands, adding to the already dire humanitarian crisis.
With fighting continuing and the situation deteriorating, humanitarian organizations are urging immediate intervention to prevent further loss of life and ensure that aid reaches those in need.