UN Officials Alarmed as Violence Escalates in Eastern DRC
Senior United Nations officials have expressed deep concern over the rising violence and worsening humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The city of Goma, the regional capital in the east, has been hit hard by intensified hostilities.
Bruno Lemarquis, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the DRC, reported that heavy artillery fire struck the city center, impacting hospitals and a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) site. “Several shells struck the charity maternity hospital in central Goma, killing and injuring civilians, including newborns and pregnant women,” he said. Facilities operated by Save the Children and the UNHCR were also hit.
Hospitals in Goma are overwhelmed, as essential services like water and electricity become compromised. Internet services have been cut, and phone networks are patchy, adding to the chaos. Lemarquis described the situation as reaching “a new threshold of violence and suffering,” with active combat threatening all parts of the city.
“Civilians are bearing the brunt of the escalating hostilities,” Lemarquis emphasized. Hundreds of thousands are attempting to flee the violence, joining the 700,000 internally displaced people already living in dire conditions. Non-essential UN staff and their families have been relocated to Kinshasa or the regional UN hub in Entebbe, Uganda.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, highlighted the volatility of the situation, noting significant advances by the M23 group and the Rwanda Defense Forces. “The risks of a broad humanitarian disaster are very high,” he warned, stressing the urgent need to prevent a wider conflict.
The violence has also claimed the lives of UN peacekeepers. Three were killed—two from South Africa and one from Uruguay—and twelve others were injured. Government forces have suffered casualties as well.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation, as the humanitarian challenges mount. With essential services failing and civilian lives at risk, immediate action is needed to alleviate suffering and restore peace in the region.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com