DR Congo Crisis: WFP Condemns Looting in Bukavu After M23 Rebels Take Key City
February 17, 2025
Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has strongly condemned the looting and violence that followed the capture of Bukavu, a major city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), by the M23 rebel group.
On Tuesday, rebel fighters seized control of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, after heavy fighting with government forces. The capture of the city has raised concerns about the safety of civilians and the stability of the region.
WFP spokesperson Yasmin Sujka said that the agency has received reports of widespread looting and violence in Bukavu, including the targeting of food warehouses and aid facilities.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the looting of our warehouses and the theft of food intended for the most vulnerable people,” Sujka said. “This is a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”
WFP said that its food stocks in Bukavu were intended to feed more than 200,000 people for one month. The looting has now left these vulnerable people without access to essential food supplies.
The agency is calling on the M23 rebels to immediately cease the looting and violence and to respect the rights of civilians. WFP is also urging all parties to the conflict to allow safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to the affected areas.
The M23 rebel group is a Tutsi-led armed group that has been accused of committing serious human rights abuses in eastern DRC. The group has been fighting against the Congolese government since 2012, and has been responsible for numerous attacks on civilians.
The capture of Bukavu by the M23 has raised fears of a wider conflict in eastern DRC. The region has been plagued by violence for decades, and the presence of the M23 rebels has only exacerbated the situation.
The United Nations Security Council has condemned the M23’s capture of Bukavu and called for an immediate end to the violence. The council has also urged the Congolese government and the M23 to engage in dialogue to resolve the conflict peacefully.
The humanitarian situation in eastern DRC remains dire, with millions of people in need of food, shelter, and medical assistance. The looting of food warehouses and aid facilities by the M23 rebels will only worsen the crisis.
WFP is calling on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and to allow safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to the affected areas.
DR Congo crisis: WFP condemns looting in Bukavu after M23 rebels take key city
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