Unprecedented sexual violence against children has been reported in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo as the Rwanda-backed M23 ramps up its offensive.
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Scores of children have been raped by armed men in a recent escalation in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the UN children's agency, UNICEF.
Children are being increasingly targeted as fighting intensifies in the mineral-rich region, with both M23 rebels and government fighters suspected of committing mass sexual violence, UNICEF said on Thursday.
"In the North and South Kivu provinces, we are receiving horrific reports of grave violations against children by parties to the conflict, including rape and other forms of sexual violence at levels surpassing anything we have seen in recent years," UNICEF's Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement.
"It is suspected that all parties to the conflict committed sexual violence," she added.
According to UNICEF, health facilities in the region reported a total of 572 rape cases in the week of during the week from 27 January to 2 February — more than a fivefold week-on-week increase . Of those treated, nearly a third were children.
"The true figures are likely much higher because so many survivors are reluctant to come forward," Russell said. "Our partners are running out of the drugs used to reduce the risk of HIV infection after a sexual assault."
"One mother recounted to our staff how her six daughters, the youngest just 12 years old, were systematically raped by armed men while searching for food."
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels are the most prominent among more than 100 armed groups vying for control of eastern DRC in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
In a major escalation of the fighting in late January, the rebels captured the region's largest city of Goma. They are now pushing further south in a bid to expand their control.
At least 500,000 people have been uprooted since M23 ramped up its offensive, the Forum of International Non-Governmental Organisations has said. Before the renewed violence late last month, Goma was already hosting nearly a million displaced people.
Last week, the UN Human Rights Council launched a commission that will investigate atrocities, including rapes and killings akin to "summary executions" committed by both the Congolese army and the M23 rebels in the region since the beginning of the year.
Speaking at the launch UN human rights chief Volker Turk said things could get worse in eastern DRC, and that abuses ranging from rape and sexual slavery may increase.
"If nothing is done, the worst may be yet to come," he said.