The International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated on Monday that a record-breaking 6.9 million individuals have been displaced in the Democratic Republic of Congo, primarily in the eastern regions of the country, due to conflict and escalating violence.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is currently facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world, fueled by years of rebel conflict and frequent natural disasters.
Data collected by the United Nations reveals that a majority of the displaced people reside in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika.
IOM reported that the ongoing conflict with the Tutsi-led rebel group M23 has led to the displacement of up to one million individuals in North Kivu alone.
“The Congolese people have been enduring multiple crises for decades. The recent escalation of the conflict has caused an unprecedented number of people to be uprooted within a short span of time,” stated Fabien Sambussy, the head of mission in Congo for IOM.
Since June, IOM has constructed 3,347 emergency shelters and provided 7,715 non-food supply kits. However, the organization cautioned that their operations remain underfunded.
(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
