Congo’s Decades-Long Conflict: Humanitarian Truce Extended Amid Ongoing Violence

The United States has announced the extension of a humanitarian truce in eastern Congo, which had reduced fighting in the region. However, the violence and human rights abuses continue, leading to calls for an end to the conflict to allow displaced people to return home.

The latest truce, which was set to expire on Friday, has been extended by 15 days until August 3. The US State Department urged all actors to respect the truce, which has been violated since it took effect on July 5.

The violence in the eastern North Kivu province has resulted in arbitrary killings, arrests, and sexual abuses, with women and children being affected the most. According to Carine Kaneza Nantulya of Human Rights Watch, the violence is not limited to areas of war, but also occurs when women and girls venture out to find water or food outside of camps.

The decades-long conflict in eastern Congo has produced one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with over 100 armed groups fighting for control of the mineral-rich area near the border with Rwanda. The M23 group, a key actor in the conflict, is allegedly backed by Rwanda.

The rebels are accused of carrying out mass killings in the conflict, which has spread from the front lines to surrounding villages, displacing at least 7 million people, many beyond the reach of aid. Aid groups have complained of insufficient resources even for those within their reach.

In recent months, people fleeing violence have also had to dodge artillery fire and drone strikes. The ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo highlight the need for a lasting solution to the conflict, allowing displaced people to return home and restoring stability to the region.

Keywords: Congo, humanitarian truce, violence, human rights abuses, displacement, aid, conflict resolution.