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Clashes in North Kivu force mass displacement; health facilities and schools closed, UN says
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Summary
Intense clashes between armed groups in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, have driven tens of thousands to seek refuge and disrupted health care and education, the UN said.
UN humanitarian reporting said intense clashes in North Kivu have caused widespread displacement and significant disruptions to services in several towns and territories.
According to the briefing, local civil society and health authorities reported intense clashes in and around Walikale (Walikala) that started on March 19 and forced about 70% of the town's population (roughly 80,000 people in the area) to seek refuge in surrounding forests. The UN said the violence caused casualties and forced the closure of roughly half of the 18 health facilities that existed in the territory.
The briefing said more than 480 schools remained closed in affected areas, depriving more than 28,000 children of access to education, citing local media and school officials. In Goma, the International Organization for Migration distributed kitchen utensils, mats and lamps to roughly 15,000 people in more than 40 collective shelters between March 26 and March 29.
WFP and partners delivered food to 85,000 people in parts of South Kivu on March 30, the UN said. The briefing noted authorities and humanitarian actors are engaging with de facto local authorities to enable voluntary, safe and sustainable returns for displaced families where possible.
