By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN agencies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday said that over half a million people have fled their homes in past few days, in eastern areas overrun by Rwanda-backed M23 fighters.
WFP said that no one should have to choose between safety and survival,” in an online post on Tuesday, as South Kivu province witnesses its most significant escalation of hostilities since the beginning of the year.
The agency urgently needs $350 million to deliver life-saving food to communities impacted by decades of insecurity in the vast, resource-rich region.
UNHCR reported that 64,000 refugees have arrived in Burundi.
UN agency said needs include medical assistance and shelter.
It also issued a warning about unaccompanied or separated children and the “high percentage” of women at risk among the newly displaced.
OCHA said that the fighting in parts of South Kivu has forced the suspension of all humanitarian operations in the towns of Fizi and Baraka after reports of panic and looting by armed groups.
Local authorities estimated that 110,000 people have been newly displaced since 8 December, many sheltering in public spaces without access to aid.
Some have crossed into Burundi, while others are moving onwards towards Tanzania, UNHCR and OCHA reported.
OCHA warned that access remains fragile as needs continue to rise and aid deliveries are resuming gradually in Uvira and Bukavu.
