Hostilities in east DRC block bomb disposal, displace civilians

13/2/2025 6:16

Hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) stymie peacekeepers' efforts to safely dispose of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and trigger more displacements, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, reported a tense situation in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.

Haq said the UXO problem includes one that poses a direct threat to both peacekeepers and unarmed Congolese Armed Forces personnel in a MONUSCO site.

The M23 rebels occupying Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, even denied contractors to deliver food to MONUSCO bases.

MONUSCO called on the M23 rebels to allow the unimpeded movement of UN personnel and to fully respect established humanitarian corridors.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the world body and its humanitarian partners are continuing assessments and providing emergency relief in North Kivu as security allows.

OCHA said clashes in South Kivu, where the peacekeepers no longer have a mandate to operate, are forcing people to flee their homes.

"Local partners reported fighting early this (Wednesday) morning in Ihusi locality about 70 km north of the provincial capital Bukavu, with people fleeing to nearby towns and islands in Lake Kivu," OCHA said. "Transport connections to some of these areas are strained due to the conflict, raising challenges for partners to move food and other goods."

The office said its humanitarian partners are working with the national electricity company to restore the power supply between Goma and Bukavu. Some electricity and water services have resumed in Goma.

In Ituri province, north of North Kivu, local authorities reported that since Feb. 8 attacks have killed at least 59 civilians. Many others are wounded or missing. The attacks also caused significant displacement.