According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), killings have continued in Ituri, a region in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 150 people have died since early April.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres estimated that 485 civilians had been murdered in this gold-rich region since the start of December in his most recent quarterly report, which was released at the end of March.
These include the competing Zaire militia and the Codeco (Cooperative for the Development of Congo) militia, both of which assert to be defending the Lendu tribe.
The allied democratic forces (ADF) of the terrorist organization Islamic State have also attacked the region.
A "persistence of attacks against civilians in three separate territories" (Djugu, Irumu, and Mambasa) during the first two weeks of April was observed by OCHA-DRC. According to local authorities and humanitarian sources, "armed attacks have resulted in approximately 150 deaths."
According to OCHA, the area of Komanda in Irumu territory "has become a refuge for thousands of people fleeing generalized insecurity" in the chiefdom (grouping of villages) of Walese Vonkutu since the beginning of the month.
The Rimba health institution (located in Mahagi area) was "ransacked on April 12 by armed elements," according to the UN humanitarian coordination office, which also reported attacks on essential infrastructure.
"Given the ongoing attacks on people, the security situation in Ituri continues to be highly concerning. Communities are in desperate need of support and safety as a result of these atrocities, said UN head Antonio Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in New York.
Citing data from local officials, he said that, of the more than 150 fatalities that have occurred since the beginning of April, more than 55 civilians were murdered and other people were injured on Friday in Djugu region.
In a region where 1.6 million people have been forced to leave their homes, he reaffirmed the readiness of the UN and its partners to assist the locals, but he also warned that "aid distribution may be delayed in areas affected by recent attacks."
He implored, "The authorities must step up protection for civilians."
The violent battle between Hema and Lendu reignited in late 2017 after a ten-year hiatus, forcing more than 1.5 million people to escape and leaving thousands dead.
Ituri province, like the nearby North Kivu province, has been in a "state of siege" for over two years. This extraordinary action replaced the civilian administration with the police and army, but it has not been able to stop the carnage.
