HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday expressed deep alarm over escalating violence in South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, warning that the deteriorating situation is worsening humanitarian conditions for civilians.

"The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the escalation in violence in South Kivu and its humanitarian consequences, including the displacement of over 200,000 people since 2 December," said a statement by Guterres' spokesperson, Farhan Haq.

Guterres "strongly condemns the offensive by the Alliance Fleuve Congo/ Mouvement du 23 mars (AFC/M23) in several locations in South Kivu Province, including Kamanyola, Luvungi, Katogota and Uvira, which has resulted in civilian casualties," the statement said.

Clashes between M23 and government forces in eastern Congo had displaced at least 500,000 and killed more than 3,000 by late February, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), or Congo River Alliance, a rebel coalition in eastern Congo that includes the M23, said Monday that the US-brokered peace deal signed between Congo and Rwanda is "a step, albeit limited, but useful."

Kinshasa and others accuse Kigali of backing M23 rebels since their resurgence in November 2021, a charge Rwanda consistently denies.

Guterres called "for an immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities, in line with Security Council resolution 2773 (2025)," and stressed that "this escalation risks seriously undermining efforts to achieve a sustainable resolution of the crisis and increases the risk of a broader regional conflagration."

The resolution condemns Rwanda for its support for the M23 rebel offensive in the eastern Congo and calls for the "immediate" withdrawal of its troops.

"He urges the parties to abide by their commitments under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, signed on 4 December, and to fully respect the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 15 November," the statement added.

Emphasizing the UN's involvement on the ground, Guterres noted: "The United Nations is fully mobilized to work with partners to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need and reiterates his readiness to continue supporting ongoing diplomatic efforts to restore peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region, in line with the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region."