Reference :
V-P-CD-E-03230
Date :
22/05/2026
Caption :
Village of Nakiele, South Kivu Province. ICRC staff member Rubin Ombeni Sumuni speaks to representatives of armed groups in the village.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
The region was grappling with a "double crisis" of escalating armed conflict and a newly declared Ebola outbreak.
Nakiele, situated in the high-altitude Hauts Plateaux of Fizi Territory, had become a flashpoint for intense clashes between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), pro-government militias such as Wazalendo, and the M23-aligned Twirwaneho militia. These hostilities led to mass displacement of civilians, many of whom sought refuge in and around Nakiele. The village's health center, supported by the ICRC, faced overwhelming pressure, providing care to displaced individuals and treating a surge in malaria cases amid critical shortages of essential medicines.
At the same time, the Ebola outbreak, declared just days earlier on 15 May 2026, had begun spreading to South Kivu, compounding the region's humanitarian crisis. The ICRC and its partners were actively engaged in supporting local health facilities, conducting community awareness campaigns, and providing infection prevention measures in affected areas.
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
8448x6336
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
