More than 400,000 people have been displaced by violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
"This year alone, the number of displaced people has now surpassed 400,000, nearly double the figure reported last week," UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh stated during a press briefing for UN agencies in Geneva.
The UN is deeply concerned about the potential catastrophic consequences for hundreds of thousands of civilians in the event of an M23 rebel attack on Goma, the metropolis in northeastern Congo. The M23 rebel group are militarily and financially supported by the Rwandan government.
At least four out of five displaced persons are heading to Goma, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday. Violence in displacement camps has forced nearly 180,000 more people to flee in the past week, bringing the total in the east of the country to nearly 5 million.
Looting, murders, injuries, arbitrary arrests, and kidnappings have been reported, the spokesperson added.
"Hospitals are completely overwhelmed," he said. The displaced also lack access to food and drinking water. The UNHCR has no indications that civilians are moving to other countries in the region but stands ready to provide assistance.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the M23 offensive on Thursday evening and demanded that the group withdraw from the areas under its control.
He fears a "broader" regional war. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, urged states with influence over the various actors in the region to work towards an "immediate" cessation of hostilities.
