Highlights

Over 62,000 new internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been reported in the Kasai region for the past week, in the wake of clashes between the militia and the FARDC or as a consequence of intercommunity tensions. Among them, approximately 32,000 are in Central Kasai Province and 29,000 in Kasai Province.

The impact of the crisis extends beyond the Kasai region: over 11,000 Congolese have fled to Angola since 13 April, and 28,000 people have left Kasai province for Lualaba province.

Despite access constraints, assistance is being rolled through 32 emergency projects, notably in the town of Tshikapa (Kasai), Kananga town and the territory of Dibaya (Central Kasai) and the territories of Mweka (Kasai), Kabeya Kamwanga,

Miabi and Lupatapata (Kasai Oriental).

Considering the magnitude of humanitarian needs, a Flash Appeal is being finalized to mobilize more funding for assistance. The current capacities of humanitarian and development actors have been outstripped, as well as all the projections of the DRC 2017-2019 Humanitarian Response Plan.

If no durable solution is found for the crisis, the situation could deteriorate with increased displacement and the need for multisectoral assistance and protection. Despite the agreement reached between the Congolese authorities and the family of the late Kamuina Nsapu, concerns remain about the intercommunity tensions that the conflict has aroused, the social and political demands of the population, and the risk of continuing violence by the militia for economic reasons.

1,09 M Internally displaced persons

97 084 People who have Returnees in Kasai Oriental

130 000 Host communities’ members/ families

352 000 Persons covered by the current emergency assistance

11 051 Congolese who have fled to Angola

8 414 Congolese expelled from Angola

Overview of the situation

The humanitarian impact of the violence in the Kasai region remains extremely worrying, with more than 62,000 new displaced people reported over the past week, raising to 1,09 million the total number of displaced people. These displacements occur on a daily basis, depending on the geographical evolution of the conflict. The main "hotspots" of the conflict are in the territories of Luebo and Mweka (province of Kasai); Luiza (Kasai Central); Luilu, Kamiji, as well as in the town of Mwene-Ditu (Lomami Province).

These new displacements took place in Kasai, Kasai Central and Lomami provinces. In Kasai province, there were 29,000 persons reported in Mweka on 10 April, including 12,500 from the Luebo area, and 16,500 from the Mweka area (displaced due to inter-community tensions). In Kasai Central, the total number of new IDPs according to the health authorities is 32,000, mainly in Demba, Dimbelenge and Kananga. In Lomami Province, more than 500 people arrived in Mwene-Ditu Territory from surrounding villages on 10 April after being driven out because of inter-community tensions. These people are housed in a primary school, presently without any assistance. No new alerts were reported in the provinces of Kasai Oriental, Sankuru, Haut-Lomami and Lualaba during the period covered by this report.