Villagers in DR Congo flee machete and ax attacks as violence increases

Mourning for a loved one killed by a machete blow during an attack on December 2.

Scores of people have been killed in worsening violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern region, leaving the local population in urgent need of aid, according to the United Nations and Human Rights Watch.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Friday it had credible reports that at least 256 people, including children, had been killed in ax and machete attacks since October in the Beni area of North Kivu province.

"Multiple attacks over the last three months have caused widespread fear and displacement. We are appealing for humanitarian access to help people in distress," UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva. On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch also sounded the alarm, saying its interviews with victims and witnesses indicated unidentified rebel fighters had killed at least 184 civilians -- though the actual number is likely significantly higher -- and injured many others in attacks on villages in Beni territory.

About 88,000 people have been forced from their homes in Beni and the surrounding area, with some finding shelter with families while others seek sanctuary in schools or churches, UNHCR said. The violence has also spread northward into Orientale province, the agency said.

Meanwhile, more attacks have been threatened, prompting frightened villagers to flee again toward larger towns and cities, the UNHCR said.

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