A surge in violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sparked fears of a looming humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced.
The eastern region of the country has been plagued by conflict, with entire towns transformed into battlegrounds.
More than 400,000 people have been forced to flee their homes this year alone, according to aid agency ActionAid.
The organisation warned that the humanitarian crisis in the country was already one of the worst in the world, with one in four people in need of assistance.
“The situation is extremely alarming,” said Yakubu Mohammed Saani, ActionAid’s country director in DR Congo.
“Families are fleeing with nothing, desperate to escape the gunfire and chaos. Roads are blocked, ports are closed, and many are risking their lives crossing Lake Kivu in makeshift boats.”
ActionAid has urged the international community to take immediate action to address the crisis and support efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The agency has been working in DR Congo since 2003, providing aid to displaced populations, refugees and host communities.
It has launched an appeal for funds to support its humanitarian work in the country.
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