United Nations, Jan 7 (IANS) The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is sounding the alarm over a surge in violence in Ituri province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is severely disrupting life-saving operations in the region, a UN spokesperson said.
The town of Bule and nearby areas have experienced ongoing hostilities since early December, and local authorities reported that at least 25 civilians have been killed and more than 40 injured over the last month, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, at a daily briefing on Tuesday.
OCHA reported that the insecurity has effectively cut off assistance to more than 87,000 displaced people currently living in and around Bule, and these families face critical shortages of food, healthcare and clean water, Dujarric said.
Due to the volatile security situation, no humanitarian group has been able to operate in the affected areas for more than a month, he added.
"The UN reminds all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers wherever they need to be," he said, adding that safe, predictable and unhindered humanitarian access is essential to deliver life-saving assistance and to prevent a further deterioration of the situation, Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier on January 1, the government of the DRC had said that more than 1,500 civilians have been killed in escalating violence in the country's eastern province of South Kivu since early December of 2025.
In a statement, the government had said fighting has intensified in several areas of the province, particularly along the Kamanyola-Uvira axis, where armed operations have triggered large-scale displacement. Meanwhile, more than 500,000 people had been forced to flee their homes amid continuing insecurity.
The government had said the front lines have gradually shifted southward, affecting multiple areas in South Kivu, including Uvira, Fizi and Mwenga.
The authorities had attributed the escalation to armed groups operating in the region, accusing them of violating existing commitments and international humanitarian law.
The government had reiterated its determination to restore state authority nationwide and to seek accountability for those responsible through diplomatic and judicial channels.
Eastern DRC has faced decades of instability, a situation that has worsened since the resurgence of the March 23 Movement rebel group in late 2021. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused neighboring Rwanda of backing the group, an allegation Kigali has denied.
--IANS
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