United Nations, Nov 13 : Nearly 25 million people, over 20 per cent of the population, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a UN spokesperson said.

The DRC remains one of the countries most affected by food insecurity, with the situation particularly severe in the east, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, at a daily briefing on Wednesday.

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, the number is projected to rise to nearly 27 million people in the first half of 2026, he said.

Dujarric said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) remains deeply concerned about continued attacks against civilians in Beni and Lubero territories in North Kivu and also in Ituri province, with more than 1,000 people reportedly killed in the two provinces since the beginning of this year.

The impact on health services has been devastating, with at least six facilities attacked since the beginning of 2025 and a total of at least 28 health sites affected by armed attacks since 2024, said the spokesperson.

He said OCHA reiterated its call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Since January, the security situation in eastern DRC has worsened sharply amid renewed fighting involving the March 23 Movement rebel group, which seized several key towns, including Goma and Bukavu, Xinhua news agency reported.

Humanitarian agencies say the escalating violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, deepening an already dire crisis.

Earlier on October 14, the government of the DRC and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group had signed an agreement in Doha to establish a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism, under the facilitation of Qatar.

/IANS