Over 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in eastern Congo since the start of the year due to a renewed offensive by the M23 rebel group.
The recent capture of the town of Masisi by the M23 rebels has triggered a mass exodus of civilians. This comes after the group successfully seized two strategic towns in the region within a week.
The new displacement adds to the already dire humanitarian situation in North Kivu province, where over 2.8 million people are currently displaced, constituting more than a third of the province’s population.
The M23, a Tutsi-dominated rebel group, has been active in eastern Congo for over a decade, contributing significantly to the region’s instability and humanitarian crisis.
Eastern Congo remains plagued by numerous armed groups vying for control of the region’s rich mineral resources, resulting in widespread violence and displacement.