Child abductions and violence rife in DRC crisis, warns the UN

Thousands of children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing extreme dangers as violence continues to escalate in North and South Kivu provinces.

The United Nations has warned that children are increasingly becoming victims of attacks, sexual violence, and forced recruitment by armed groups, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.

In a statement on Thursday, UN human rights experts said the ongoing conflict has led to massacres, sexual violence, and widespread violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws.

"The recent surge in violence has led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations, massacres and conflict-related sexual violence, in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law," they stated.

Health facilities in the region have reported a troubling rise in rape cases, with children accounting for 30 percent of those treated.

Humanitarian agencies have also identified more than 1,100 unaccompanied and separated children, further highlighting the crisis.

Attacks on hospitals, humanitarian centers, and civilian infrastructure have worsened the situation, making it difficult for aid organizations to operate.

Schools have also been affected, with many either occupied by armed groups or turned into shelters for displaced families.

The escalating violence has forced more than 700,000 people to flee their homes, nearly half of whom are school-aged children.

The number of casualties is rising, but experts fear many cases remain undocumented.

"A majority of cases remain unreported, and this may only be the tip of the iceberg," the UN experts warned.

Child recruitment by armed groups remains a major concern, with reports of abduction, forced combat, and sexual exploitation of children.

"We are particularly concerned by reports of children disappearing, being abducted or trafficked and recruited for use in combat by all parties to the conflict," the experts added.

The UN has urged immediate measures to protect children from further harm.

These include strengthening early warning systems, enhancing child protection alerts, and implementing strict age verification processes to prevent child recruitment.

The experts also emphasized the need for demobilizing recruited children and providing them with psychological and physical recovery support to aid their reintegration into society.

"We call on all parties to the conflict, including those directly engaged in hostilities and persons in command roles in armed groups, to halt these atrocities and to uphold their legal obligations to protect civilians, particularly children," they said.

With thousands of children caught in the crossfire, urgent action is needed to prevent further suffering and ensure their safety.