United Nations, March 29: UN humanitarians on Monday voiced grave concern about the deteriorating security situation in Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
An escalation in violence in the eastern province has led to the killing of an estimated 400 civilians and the displacement of over 83,000 people since the beginning of the year, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In the second week of March alone, an estimated 80 civilians were killed in Ituri. Humanitarians have also observed an increase in attacks on internally displaced people (IDP) sites and in areas where displaced people are seeking shelter. More than 488,000 people have been affected by the destruction of health centers and schools in Ituri in 2021.
The violence has affected the ability of aid organizations to deliver assistance, forcing them to delay, suspend or relocate operations, said OCHA.
The humanitarian community stresses that all parties have the obligation to protect civilians and civilian objects, including IDP sites. Attacks directed against civilians, including IDPs, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, it said.
Some 1.9 million people are displaced within Ituri province, one-third of all people displaced in the DRC. Some 3 million people, more than half of Ituri's population, are severely food insecure, it said.
Despite challenges, including limited access, UN agencies and humanitarian partners last year provided food, shelter, medicines, water and other relief to around 1.26 million people in Ituri. Urgent funding is needed to allow the United Nations and partners to provide a rapid and comprehensive humanitarian response in Ituri, said OCHA.
Source: Xinhua