Geneva, Nov 30 (UNI/Sputnik): The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is “appalled” by armed attacks on facilities for displaced people in the Democratic of the Congo (DRC), and calls for respect of the humanitarian nature of such sites, spokesman Boris Cheshirkov said on Tuesday.
“The UN Refugee Agency is appalled by a series of deadly attacks by armed groups on displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Cheshirkov said at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
He listed three attacks that took place in the east of the DRC last Sunday, and earlier on November 21 and November 14, which claimed a total of 77 lives, including six children and a pregnant woman.
According to the UNHCR spokesman, these attacks were caused in part by “inter-communal tensions”.
“UNHCR calls on all parties to respect the civilian and humanitarian character of displacement sites, where both IDPs and the local population are being attacked in their homes. UNHCR also calls for parties to ensure access to the locations so that humanitarian actors can provide essential assistance,” the spokesman said.
The number of internally displaced people in the DRC has reached 5.6 million, according to Cheshirkov. The spokesman called on donors to increase support, adding that the agency has only been able to raise 52 per cent of the $204.8 million required to provide life-saving assistance to these people.
