Democratic Republic of the Congo - North-Kivu Displacement trends: Rutshuru - Nyiragongo crisis (August 4, 2022)

The resumption of hostilities between the army and the M23 armed group in the first week of August caused new waves of displacement. Since August 2, approximately 15,000 people have been displaced, fleeing the localities of Kanombe, Kabaya, Nkokwe, and Rubumba. The influx of these newly displaced people is reported in the localities of Rumangabo, Katale, Bushenge, and Bugomba on the Goma-Rutshuru axis.

The beginning of August is marked by a trend of new population movements. This contrasts with the context of the last two weeks of July, which was characterized by a surge of spontaneous returns in the groups of Jomba, Bueza, and Kisigari in Rutshuru territory. The humanitarian community notes that more than 210,000 people are in need, the majority of whom are concentrated in the territories of Rutshuru (170,000 IDPs and 10,335 returnees) and Nyiragongo (14,420 IDPs and 20,785 returnees). Sixty-two percent of the displaced have found refuge with host families, while 38 percent are staying in collective sites and centers (church, school, stadium, other collective places).