The United Nations has strongly condemned a spike in sexual violence against children in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, amid intensifying conflict between M23 rebels and government forces.
UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said on Friday that reports of child rape in the region have reached unprecedented levels in the first two months of the year, warning the violence is part of a wider, systemic crisis.
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The fighting escalated in January after M23 rebels captured the city of Goma and the town of Bukavu. At least 3,000 people have been killed, with many more displaced from their homes.
Elder described the sexual violence as a weapon of war, calling for urgent global action and survivor-focused services to ensure justice and support for victims.
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