U.N. deploys troops to evacuate civilians after fresh east Congo attack

Troops of the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been deployed to protect civilians in the latest violent confrontation in the conflict-ravaged eastern region. MONUSCO stated that some 1,000 homeless people had been sheltered after the M23 rebels killed 20 people on Thursday…

The United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Saturday that troops have been dispatched to secure an escape route for civilians fleeing conflict in the east.

MONUSCO stated some 1,000 homeless people had been sheltered since Friday after fleeing the town of Mweso, where Tutsi-led M23 rebels massacred around 20 people since Thursday, according to the army and a civil society representative.

The raid was the latest result of fighting between Congolese military and M23, whose attacks have displaced tens of thousands and exacerbated the region’s decades-long security and humanitarian problems.

MONUSCO spokesperson Ndeye Khady Lo stated that the violence was taking place near the mission’s Nyanzale base. She stated that the peacekeepers will patrol to safeguard civilians.

The fighting has generated diplomatic tensions between Congo and its neighbor Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of supporting the rebels. Rwanda denied any involvement.

Eastern DRC has been plagued by unrest for many years, but conflict and violence have worsened drastically since 2022.

Over 6 million people are estimated to be displaced in eastern DRC, making this the worst displacement crisis in Africa and among the top three globally, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF