Clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese troops in South Kivu are forcing thousands of civilians to flee, with many heading towards the provincial capital, Bukavu. The violence has resulted in power outages and civilian casualties, including a bombing that injured three people in the town of Nyabibwe.
Local aid partners report that an NGO’s food assistance program for 36,000 people has been suspended due to the escalating fighting. In North Kivu province, hundreds of thousands of people are still on the move, while health facilities have been heavily impacted by violence. Many healthcare services have been disrupted or destroyed, leaving patients without access to essential treatments.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that infectious diseases like cholera and malaria are becoming more prevalent due to the lack of supplies and infrastructure. The WHO has deployed emergency medical aid but is facing a shortage of resources.
Leaders from East and Southern Africa met in Tanzania on Friday to discuss the crisis, which will be addressed at a high-level meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council next week.
Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1159936