Conditions in DRC provinces worsening

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, July 10 (UPI) -- Conditions in the Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo are worsening as residents are being displaced by violence, humanitarian officials say.

Max Hadorn, who is heading up the DRC mission by the International Committee of the Red Cross, said violence throughout North and South Kivu in June have challenged regional humanitarian and security efforts, the Integrated Regional Information Networks reported Friday.

"Since May, security and humanitarian conditions worsened for thousands of civilians in North and South Kivu," he said.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates nearly 80,000 people were displaced in North Kivu in June, while 17,000 people were displaced in Haut-Uele province.

"Military operations, attacks and abuse by armed groups and forces against the civilian population continued to pose major problems," the agency said in a briefing.

IRIN said South Kivu is also mired in violence as residents face the threat of rape and murder by the hands of government forces, Rwandan militants or members of the Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army.