The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says more than 500 000 people have been displaced by fighting in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC0 since the beginning of December.
UNICEF says it is deeply alarmed by the rapid escalation of hostilities between government forces and M23 rebels in the South Kivu province.
Renewed violence in the east of the DRC has claimed more than 400 lives and displaced over 500 000 people this month.
DRC authorities say the fighting happened in South Kivu province.
The M23 rebels recently launched an offensive against government positions that saw them capture the city of Uvira.
UNICEF says the fighting has forced more than 100 000 children and their families to flee to safer areas.
UNICEF has called on all warring parties to protect children and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.
The escalation in fighting has led the international medical charity, Doctors Without Borders to close its emergency operations in the city of Baraka in South Kivu province.
The city is located 60 kilometres from Uvira and has had an influx of civilians, Congolese forces and their allied militia.
Clashes between government forces and the M23 rebels have been reported in the city and neighbouring areas.
The M23 rebels say they are fighting to protect their community of ethnic Tutsis in eastern DRC.
The latest round of fighting is a violation of a ceasefire agreement signed last month by the DRC government and the M23 in Qatar and threatens to derail a recently signed US brokered peace deal.
–SABC–
