Today's top news: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Children in a site in Bunia for people displaced by the violence in Ituri. August 2022. OCHA/Wassy Kambale

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The security situation is deteriorating in the eastern Ituri Province.

Armed fighters today attacked Plaine Savo, a site hosting internally displaced people in Djugu Territory. According to local authorities, several people were killed and wounded. Many families also fled the site.

This attack is the latest in a string of violent attacks on civilians over the past few weeks, severely affecting civilians and humanitarian operations in Djugu and neighbouring Mahagi.

This compounds an already dire humanitarian situation in Ituri Province which currently hosts 1.5 million displaced people.

Since early January, at least 12 humanitarian organizations have reduced their presence and operations in these territories.

This attack comes almost a year after the last violent attack in Plaine Savo that left close to 60 people dead in February 2022.

We are closely following the developments on the ground and advocating with the relevant authorities to ensure the protection of civilians, especially those in displacement sites. We are also liaising with humanitarian partners to provide some assistance as soon as security permits.