more than 110,000 internally displaced persons from the city of GOM in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) were moved to other parts of the country due to clashes between security forces and the rebel group “Movement of March 23” (M23). This was stated by the representative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian issues (UKGV) Jens Lerke.
“Our reports from the region show that more than 110,000 displaced persons began to leave the camps in Homa and move to the villages in Masisi, Ruthur and Nieragongo,” Lerke said.
He noted that the UN is still concerned about the 72-hour ultimatum presented two days ago by representatives of the M23 movement to displaced persons living in homom and camps, demanding to return to their villages.
According to the representative, all return should be voluntary.
“We repeat that the return should take place in safe, informed and worthy conditions in accordance with international humanitarian law,” he recalled.
Collisions in DR Congo
Since the beginning of the year, due to the ongoing fierce clashes between the “M23” and the security forces in the east of the DR Congo, more than 500 thousand people have been moved.
The United Nations and the Democratic Republic of the Congo accuse Rwand of support “M23”, but Rwanda denies these accusations.
The group arose under the name “Movement of March 23” after the failure of a peace agreement signed by the countries of the region on March 23, 2009 to ensure security in the east of the Congo. Later it began to be called m23.
M23 represents the interests of the ethnic minority of Tutsi. This nation belongs to the current president of Rwanda Paul Kagama.
Having taken control of many villages and cities of the region, the M23 movement recently captured Goma, the administrative center of the province of North Kiva.
The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN UN) reported that as a result of the conflict, which has continued since the beginning of the year, 900 people were killed, another 2880 were injured.