Over 1M Congolese face ‘severe food shortages’

Over one million people, who were displaced due to ongoing conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasai region, are severely food insecure, UN said.

"More than 1 million people have been uprooted from their homes since violent anti-government revolt erupted last year in Kasai," a report by UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.

According to the report, around 400,000 children are at risk of malnutrition, adding that many babies die on roads as their parents flee from Kasai.

"Some 1 million people are now severely food insecure and about 400,000 children are at risk of malnutrition," it said.

It said that that most of the affected people have received no external help.

"Many people, especially children, have died on the Tshikapa to Kananga road due to lack of food and medical assistance," the report added.

Clashes in Kasai region started last year in August when government troops killed Kamuina Nsapu, the leader of a militia group. The militiamen went on rampage and started attacking villages killing innocent people.