The conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has escalated dramatically since January, resulting in the deaths of nearly 7,000 people, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The violence has forced 450,000 people from their homes after 90 displacement camps were destroyed. The M23 rebel group, responsible for seizing strategic territories and valuable mineral-rich areas, has driven the region into its worst crisis in over a decade.
Tuluka urged the international community to take decisive action by imposing strong sanctions to deter further violence. She highlighted the widespread displacement, mass executions, and egregious human rights violations plaguing the region.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the worsening situation, warning that fundamental human rights are under severe threat worldwide.
Meanwhile, the DRC government faces mounting criticism over its military approach, as the country continues to suffer back-to-back territorial losses in North and South Kivu provinces.
