Dozens of children raped by armed men in Eastern DRC, says UNICEF | Human Rights News

The United Nations Agency says 12 -year -old children are also involved or forced to join the fighting from armed groups.

Dozens of children falling into the conflict in the eastern part Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been subjected to sexual abuse, including rape by armed men, according to the Children's Fund of the United Nations.

Targeting children has grown to unprecedented levels in recent weeks, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned Thursday, making an urgent attractiveness to the violence to stop when M23 -supported M23 expands their imprint, colliding with Congoan forces and their allied militias.

“In the provinces of North and South Kivu, we are getting horrific reports of severe disorders against children from parties in the conflict, including rape and other forms of sexual abuse at levels that have seen everything we have seen in recent years,” Russell says in a statement.

Sharing the stories of some survivors, she said: “One mother told our staff how her six daughters, the youngest at the age of 12, were systematically raped by armed men while looking for food.”

UNICEF's accusation came as the conflict in the mineral -rich region shows no signs of retreat, such as M23Who captured the capital of North Kivu last month, pushed the south. Thousands have been killed and tens of thousands more displaced, UN said.

The agency's partners in the region report that the number of rape cases treated in 42 health facilities has jumped five times in a week from January 27 to February 2, Russell said.

“Of the treated 30 percent are children. The real figures are probably much higher because so many survivors are reluctant to get out. “

Russell added that he was “deeply disturbed by increasing violence”, especially the effects on children and families.

“All sides” committed violence

Lian Gutcher, head of UNICEF's communication at the DRC, told the News Agency at the Associated Press that out of 572 cases of rape, 170 are children.

“It is suspected that all countries in the conflict committed sexual abuse,” Gucher said.

Partnership agencies are already running out of medicines used to reduce the risk of HIV infection after sexual attacks, Russell said.

As the struggle intensifies, hundreds of children are separated from their fleetingExposing them to increased risk of violence, she added.

In the last two weeks alone, more than 1,100 children have been identified in the two provinces, who are not accompanied, according to UNICEF.

With the expansion of the rebels, the recruitment of young people from all groups will probably be accelerated, with reports about children 12 years of age being included or forced to join the fighting.

“The countries in the conflict should immediately end and prevent serious rights against children,” Russell said.

M23, which UN experts claim to be supported by Rwanda, has quickly seized the territory of tractors in the last months Eastern DRC After taking a weapon again at the end of 2022 in a country struck by many conflicts for decades.

The M23 claims to fight for the interests of ethnic tuts and continue its military campaign in the DRC, despite the calls of regional leaders to end the fighting.