Over 110,000 people in eastern Congo have been forced to flee after Rwanda-backed rebels, known as the M23, closed settlement camps. The mass displacement came after the rebels issued a 72-hour ultimatum for displaced individuals to leave the camps and return to their villages.
M23 rebels, who captured Goma in late January, have intensified their control over the region, which is rich in valuable minerals. The recent escalation has claimed at least 2,000 lives, according to local authorities.
The United Nations’ OCHA reported that while the rebels later stated that returns should be voluntary, the situation has left many without adequate shelter or assistance. Families have been seen packing up remnants of their lives in makeshift shelters, with many uncertain of their next steps.
Sibomana Safari, a resident of the Bulengo displacement camp, expressed his disbelief. “We’re asked to leave, yet I have nothing to offer my children,” he said. The lack of aid has left families like his without resources, and many fear the worst.
At least 500,000 people have been displaced since M23’s offensive began, with the aid community warning that remote villages are now harder to access. Oonagh Curry, an emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders, stressed the urgency of addressing the growing crisis. “A sudden population movement could worsen the already dire humanitarian situation,” she said.
The violence shows no sign of slowing. Despite a ceasefire declared last week, fighting continues between M23 and government forces. Rebel spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka warned that they would take action against any further violence in the city of Bukavu.