Clashes injure five civilians in Fataki, DR Congo
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Beto
Illustrative image · Mathias Reding · Pexels · Licence PexelsAt least five civilians were injured in clashes on 8 November near the Plaine Savo displacement site in Djugu territory. The violence risks disrupting humanitarian aid and the Ebola response, according to Alain Akpadji, acting humanitarian coordinator in DR Congo.
At least five civilians were injured in clashes on 8 November near the Plaine Savo displacement site, in the Fataki health zone, in Djugu territory, Ituri, according to Alain Akpadji, acting humanitarian coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gunfire was also reported in the town of Fataki, about 25 kilometres from the site.
Insecurity led to the suspension of a humanitarian assessment mission and has restricted humanitarian staff movements in the area since the end of October. The Plaine Savo site hosts more than 76,000 displaced people, while health authorities and their partners continue the response to the Ebola outbreak, according to Alain Akpadji.
Alain Akpadji called on the parties to the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and guarantee freedom of movement for humanitarian and health workers. He said safe, rapid and unhindered access was necessary to continue the Ebola response.
The violence comes after the Ebola outbreak became the largest in the history of the DRC, announced on 7 November, and as the DRC had already recorded 10,000 Ebola cases and nearly 5,000 deaths, according to figures published on 28 October.
