The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, expressed increasing concern Tuesday about 3.9 million internally displaced people in several key regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a number that has more than doubled since 2015.
Some 428,000 of these people have been displaced in the past three months said UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards at a media briefing.
Edwards said that over the past year, some 100,000 Congolese have fled to neighboring countries as refugees.
In all, there are today some 621,711 refugees from the DRC in more than 11 African countries and funding is urgently needed, said UNHCR.
"With widespread militia activities, and unrest and violence fueled by ethnic and political conflict affecting many areas, the risk of further displacement is high," said Edwards. "The challenges of getting aid to people in need are growing fast."
In the eastern province of Tanganyika, where some 584,000 people are internally displaced, intercommunal conflict between the Twa and Luba groups spilled into neighboring Haut-Katanga province earlier this year. Clashes with the army continue and there is wide prevalence of armed militia.
Scores of civilians have been forced to flee, and there have been reports of murders, looting and extortion, and torture or other inhumane treatment. With people finding it difficult to sustain their livelihoods, more are becoming dependent on aid.
Refugees crossing from DRC into neighboring Zambia are hosted temporarily at the Kenani transit center, close to the border, where over 5,400 people are currently staying, said UNHCR.
Further north in the east of DRC, violence involving mostly local armed groups is plaguing North and South Kivu provinces. In North Kivu alone, over one million people are displaced, while in South Kivu, 545,000 people are internally displaced.
Meanwhile, in the Kasai region in central-southern DRC, displaced people and refugees who fled the violence that started over a year ago have begun to return, although 760,000 people remain displaced.
As of Oct. 23, over 710,000 people had gone back, but many are finding their property in ruins and family members killed
Due to the situation in the three DRC regions, UNHCR and partners have recently upgraded the situation the country to level 3 -- the highest level of emergency.
SOURCE: Xinhua
