Aid Reaches Beni Amid Renewed Clashes in eastern DRC
Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo – Despite escalating conflict between Rwanda-backed M23 rebel fighters and Congolese forces, the United Nations World Food programme (WFP) has successfully delivered critical aid to the city of Beni in North Kivu province. Trucks carrying cereals, beans, and cooking oil arrived from neighboring Uganda, providing a lifeline to a region gripped by violence and displacement.
Relief effort Targets 140,000 Displaced
The WFP plans to distribute the supplies from warehouses in Beni to assist approximately 140,000 people residing in Lubero territory, located south of butembo. This region has been particularly hard-hit by recent fighting.
Escalating Violence and Displacement
The need for aid is dire, as violence surged on May 2 in Lubero territory, forcing an estimated 30,000 people to flee their homes, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. This adds to the already staggering number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the DRC.
Peace Talks Amidst Conflict
The aid delivery coincides with ongoing peace negotiations in Qatar between the DRC Government and the M23 rebels. Previous talks in April saw both sides pledged to work towards peace.
However, the persistent violence underscores the fragility of these efforts.
A Region Plagued by Insecurity
The M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, have been engaged in a protracted conflict with the Congolese army and allied forces in the mineral-rich region. This conflict is fueled by a complex web of political,economic,and ethnic tensions.Negotiations between the group and Kinshasa collapsed in 2021, further exacerbating the crisis.
January Offensive and Regional Instability
Hostilities intensified in January, with M23 fighters capturing Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province. A month later, they seized Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, and threatened to advance on Kinshasa, the nation’s capital.
Since then, ongoing fighting has caused mass displacement, killed more than 7,000 people and fuelled fears of regional conflict.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The ongoing conflict has created a severe humanitarian crisis. A total of 21 million people need humanitarian assistance in DRC today.
UN aid teams and partners remain on the ground, providing assistance and condemning the looting of aid warehouses by armed groups, which have resulted in the destruction of vital food and medicine supplies.
