UNICEF: Escalating Violence in Eastern Congo Displaces Over 100,000 Children

UNICEF: Escalating Violence in Eastern Congo Displaces Over 100,000 Children
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More than 100,000 children have been displaced by a renewed surge in violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, UNICEF warned on Sunday, as fighting continues to intensify across the region, Anadolu Agency reported.

According to the UN children’s agency, clashes that began in early December have forced more than 500,000 people from their homes, with children accounting for a significant proportion of those affected, particularly in South Kivu province.

UNICEF said hundreds of people have been killed since the escalation, including children, and confirmed that several schools have been attacked or damaged, disrupting access to education.

The deteriorating security situation has pushed families to flee both within Congo and across borders into neighboring countries. Burundi has recorded more than 50,000 new arrivals in recent days, nearly half of them children, while additional displaced people have crossed into Rwanda. UNICEF warned that displacement figures are likely to rise as more affected families are identified.

Meanwhile, the United States has accused the M23 rebel group of advancing in violation of a peace agreement signed in Washington earlier this month between Congo and Rwanda. The agreement aimed to reduce long-running instability in eastern Congo, where conflict has persisted for decades, leaving millions displaced and thousands killed.