Humanitarian operations have been temporarily suspended in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) South Kivu province after renewed clashes forced aid agencies to withdraw from the cities of Fizi and Baraka, according to the United Nations (UN).
The UN Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, confirmed on Tuesday that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had halted all field activities in the affected areas following escalating violence that has triggered panic among civilians. Reports have also emerged of looting and intimidation by armed groups targeting humanitarian facilities and personnel.
Local authorities estimate that since 8 December, approximately 110,000 people have fled the violence, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring parts of South Kivu while others have crossed international borders into Burundi and Tanzania. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that more than 78,000 individuals, including asylum seekers, returnees and migrants, have crossed into Burundi since 5 December.
The UN spokesperson said that roughly 15,000 people have so far been transferred to the Bweru and Makombe displacement and transition sites in Burundi. Humanitarian organisations working in these camps have noted a rapid rise in population density as new arrivals continue to stream in.
Health concerns are compounding the crisis. Dozens of cholera infections and two confirmed cases of mpox have been recorded in the Gatumba displacement site near the DRC–Burundi border. UN health partners are collaborating with local authorities to manage and contain these outbreaks amid strained resources.
The UN has reiterated its commitment to facilitating the safe return of humanitarian teams to affected areas and to ensuring the delivery of vital assistance once security conditions permit. The situation underscores the broader humanitarian challenges confronting eastern Congo, where overlapping armed conflicts, displacement, and disease outbreaks continue to test both local resilience and international response mechanisms.
While South Kivu’s instability remains part of the long-standing dynamics in the Great Lakes region, analysts emphasise the importance of viewing these developments through a regional and historical lens. The movement of people across borders is not solely a symptom of crisis but also a reflection of deep interconnections among border communities in the Great Lakes. The current displacements, therefore, demand responses that recognise the region’s shared humanitarian and cultural realities rather than framing them merely as a security concern.
Humanitarian organisations operating in the area have appealed for greater protection of civilians and aid workers, as well as enhanced coordination between national governments and regional bodies such as the East African Community to ensure the stability and safety of affected populations.
The UN continues to engage with all parties involved in the South Kivu conflict to re-establish humanitarian access and uphold the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality in humanitarian work.
