EMERGENCY STAYS

...DR Congo extends military rule in eastern provinces

KINSHASA - The parliament in the Democratic Republic of Congo has voted to extend the state of emergency in Ituri and North Kivu - the two eastern provinces that have been rocked by insecurity.

The state of emergency imposed by President Félix Tshisekedi on May 6 has been extended six times now.

Out of 335 MPs, 334 voted in favour while one abstained.

Military administrations have replaced the civilian authorities to curb insecurity in the provinces where several attacks carried out by rebels have left thousands dead.

The violence has been on the increase despite the presence of thousands of UN peacekeepers.

Some of the attacks have been blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces - one of the dozens of armed groups operating there.

The eastern provinces have also seen violence between ethnic groups.

Meanwhile, the UN's migration agency has called for a “rapid expansion” of humanitarian aid and more funding for operations in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.

António Vitorino, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) director who is on a visit to Mozambique, said the assistance was needed to support the hundreds of thousands who have fled their homes because of insecurity in the area.

"Significant additional funding is needed to cover life-saving humanitarian needs and work towards lasting solutions, especially before the next rainy and cyclone season in December,” he said.

The IOM head visited the district of Metuge, which hosts about 125,000 people of the more than 800,000 who have been displaced since the end of 2017.