The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warns of an increase in the number of civilians wounded by heavy weapons.

Its Director-General, Robert Mardini, pointed out on Wednesday in Goma, North Kivu: "In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the war between the Congolese army and the M23 is raging in the East, and the number of civilians wounded by heavy weapons is only increasing," he announces on his website www.icrc.org.

He warns, in the same source, that this situation represents a risk of overwhelming health facilities that have already been severely tested, possibly exacerbating one of the largest and most complex humanitarian crises in the world.

For Robert Mardini, "What we are currently witnessing in the eastern DRC is unprecedented and extremely worrying in many respects. Following the recent upsurge in hostilities at the beginning of February, hundreds of seriously injured civilians, including many women and children, have flocked to health facilities in North Kivu – 40% of whom were victims of bombings or other heavy weapons used in densely populated urban areas."

This new dynamic, he announces, further intensifies the profound suffering of so many civilians already burdened by decades of conflict, before mentioning: "In February, fighting intensified in villages near the town of Sake in the Masisi territory, 27 kilometers from Goma. Several explosives from the fronts have reached the town of Sake and the outskirts of Goma, causing several civilian deaths and dozens of injuries. Explosives even hit camps of displaced people.

He further informs that "In cases of explosive weapons used in populated areas – including near camps for displaced people, the likelihood of indiscriminate effects is very high. In other words, civilians risk being injured or even killed. This is precisely what we are observing right now in North Kivu – with the devastating consequences that this entails," before considering: "The level of suffering experienced here is absolutely heartbreaking and this is just a glimpse of the scale and complexity of the humanitarian challenges to be met in the DRC. We are witnessing a large-scale protection crisis, which can nevertheless be avoided."

"The humanitarian response, although essential, is clearly not the solution." For its part, the ICRC works closely with the Red Cross of the DRC and provides assistance to those affected by the conflict. It strengthens, for example, the physical and mental health care provided to the wounded, sick, and traumatized, improves access to water and sanitation, and strives to reunite scattered families, explains Robert Mardini.

"Yet, there is only one truly effective way to reduce the suffering we witness: the parties to the conflict must respect their obligations, according to international humanitarian law, to protect the civilian population. We urge them to do so with the utmost urgency," Mr. Mardini insists, who also warns: "Without this, a grim future awaits millions of Congolese who have known only war."

Boni Tsala