Fresh fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has uprooted more than 100,000 children, UNICEF warned on Sunday. The UN agency said the renewed violence, which intensified from December 1, has pushed over half a million people out of their homes, particularly in South Kivu province.
Children account for a large portion of those displaced and are bearing the harshest impact of a conflict with no clear end in sight. Since December 2, hundreds of people have lost their lives, among them children. At least four students have been killed, while several schools have been damaged or completely destroyed during the clashes.
As insecurity spreads, families are fleeing both within Congo and across its borders into neighbouring Burundi and Rwanda. Burundi alone reported more than 50,000 new arrivals between December 6 and 11, with children making up almost half of that number.
UNICEF cautioned that the figure of displaced children is likely to climb further as violence continues and more families are forced to run for safety. “Children should never bear the cost of war,” the agency said, calling for immediate protection for civilians and unhindered access for humanitarian workers.
At the same time, the United States has warned Rwanda against violating a peace agreement brokered in Washington, following fresh advances by rebel groups.
The M23 rebels have widened their grip across South Kivu, including major cities such as Goma and Bukavu, which were captured earlier this year.
The worsening situation has raised fears of a deeper humanitarian crisis, with children once again caught at the centre of the violence.
