At least 40 civilians were killed in three days last week in attacks by armed groups in Ituri, in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the UN announced on Tuesday (July 18th). alarmed at a “significant escalation” of violence.
In a statement, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) “sounds the alarm about a significant escalation of violence in Ituri”. “Last week, at least 40 civilians were killed in three days in attacks by armed groups near the town of Bunia,” the statement said.
In total, “in Ituri this year, more than 600 civilians have been killed and 345,000 people displaced”. “We strongly condemn this violence and call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and human rights principles,” OCHA insisted.
In the first quarter of 2023, the UN and its partners assisted 460,000 people in this province, but the UN humanitarian plan for the DRC is only 30% funded. “We call on the international community to show its solidarity with the people of the DRC and to provide support in addressing the growing humanitarian crisis,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary General.