ACAPS Briefing Note: Democratic Republic of Congo – Conflict in North Kivu, 27 February 2024 – Democratic Republic of the Congo

CRISIS IMPACT OVERVIEW

From mid-January 2024, there has been a spike in fighting between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the March 23 Movement (M23) in North Kivu province (UNSC 21/02/2024). Clashes have been particularly intense in Bahunde, Bashali, Katsiru, and Mweso towns, Masisi territory; Bukumbo town in Rutshuru territory; and Buhumba and Kibumba towns in Nyiragongo territory. On 12 February, fighting escalated near Sake town, around 25km west of Goma (UNSC 21/02/2024; UNICEF 19/02/2024; IOM 14/02/2024).

Heavy artillery and mortar use have caused civilian casualties and damage in Mweso and Sake (Masisi territory) and Goma city’s outskirts, including in IDP camps (IOM 14/02/2024). As at 21 February, at least 35 civilians had been killed and dozens injured since 16 January, including in the displacement site of Sake, where at least 100,000 displaced people were hosted as at 7 February (NRC 15/02/2024; IOM 14/02/2024; OCHA 13/02/2024; AI 20/02/2024).

Between 2–8 February, fighting displaced around 150,000 people in North Kivu, around 50% of whom were children (STC 08/02/2024). More than 135,000 of these IDPs went to Goma city, bringing the number of IDPs in Goma to over 635,000 (UNICEF 19/02/2024). The fighting also displaced an estimated 60,000 people southwards towards Minova and Bunyakiri in South Kivu province (UNICEF 19/02/2024; OCHA 08/02/2024). As at 11 February, the number of M23-related displacements across North Kivu province had risen to 1.7 million, an estimated 14% (around 238,000) of whom were aged between 0–5. This brought the total number of IDPs in the province to 2.5 million (IOM 14/02/2024; UN 14/02/2024). Many of these IDPs have experienced repeated displacement, including from collective centres in Bweremana, Kirotshe, and Shasha in Masisi territory and Katsiru in Rutshuru territory (IOM 14/02/2024; OCHA 08/02/2024 and 13/02/2024). IDP figures are likely underreported because of limited humanitarian access and a rapidly evolving conflict context.

The priority needs of IDPs in North Kivu include access to food, shelter, WASH, NFIs, and healthcare (IOM 14/02/2024; OCHA 08/02/2024). Formal and informal IDP sites are overcrowded and lack WASH facilities, leading to a rise in cholera and diarrhoea cases since the recent influx of IDPs (UNSC 21/02/2024).