Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo: Renewed violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is causing a humanitarian crisis and immense suffering for civilians, according to the Congo Advocacy Coalition, a group of 83 aid agencies and human rights groups.

Since August 28, fighting has resumed between the Congolese army and Laurent Nkunda’s National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), as well as other armed groups, breaking a ceasefire that had been in place since the Goma peace agreement was signed in January.

An estimated 100,000 civilians were forced to flee in the most recent violence, including many who had already been displaced. According to witnesses, some civilians were trapped in combat zones and killed, wounded, raped or detained by soldiers of the Congolese army and other armed groups. The United Nations believes that more than 1.2 million people are now displaced in North and South Kivu

In addition, aid workers have suffered attacks that have forced them to suspend activities in North Kivu and parts of South Kivu, leaving many displaced persons without assistance.

The coalition has called for urgent action to improve protection of civilians and an immediate increase in assistance to vulnerable populations.

Three Advocacy Project (AP) partners in the DRC – Initiative Congolaise pour la Justice et la Paix (ICJP), Centre de Recherche sur l’Environnement, la Démocratie et les Droits de l’Homme (CREDDHO), and Solidarité pour la Promotion Sociale et la Paix (SOPROP) – are members of the coalition. AP recently sent Peace Fellow Ned Meerdink to volunteer in Congo with partners Arche d’Alliance and Bureau pour le Voluntariat au service de l’Enfance et de la Sante (BVES).

Read the full report from Human Rights Watch.