The sudden resurgence and advance of the M23 rebel group have spread panic amongst the people of North Kivu, a province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At least 50,000 people fled their homes between October 20 and November 1, according to a statement by the United Nations. Displaced civilians, primarily women and children, have been gathering in makeshift camps on the outskirts of Goma. Our Observers say there is a desperate need for more humanitarian assistance.
On October 20, the March 23 Movement (M23), a rebel group largely made up of people from the Tutsi ethnic group, launched an offensive against the Congolese army and captured a large swathe of territory in Rutshuru, including the towns of Rutshuru Centre and Kiwanja.
