The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a warning over escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its impact on children.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in DRC as M23 rebels continue to attack and seize control of towns and villages.
In a statement on Thursday, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell expressed deep concern over the devastating impact on children and families.
“In North and South Kivu provinces, we are receiving horrific reports of grave violations against children by parties to the conflict,” she said.
“These include rape and other forms of sexual violence at levels surpassing anything we have seen in recent years.”
The crisis is spreading beyond Kivu.
In Ituri province, at least 28 children were among 52 people killed in a brutal attack in Djugu territory on Monday, according to international NGO Save the Children.
The attackers reportedly used machetes, guns, and fire, targeting families, including many women and children.
Homes were burned to the ground, with some trapped inside.
During the week of January 27 to February 2, when the Rwanda-backed M23 group captured the regional capital Goma, the number of rape cases treated at 42 UNICEF-supported health centres surged five-fold in just one week.
Children accounted for 30 percent of those receiving treatment.
