Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has sounded a grave alarm over a surge of violent attacks on its volunteers and staff in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, warning that the assaults are critically hindering the desperate fight against the country's deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. The organization confirmed on Monday, August 24, 2026, that six aid workers were injured in a series of attacks last week alone, part of a broader pattern of violence that has seen 12 volunteers hurt, ambulances damaged, and emergency equipment destroyed in 11 separate incidents since the outbreak was declared on May 15. The Red Cross has issued an urgent plea for communities and local leaders to respect and protect humanitarian action, stressing that the relentless targeting of responders is putting countless more lives at risk and making an already catastrophic epidemic even harder to contain.
The recent spate of violence underscores the extreme dangers faced by humanitarian workers in the DRC's conflict-ravaged eastern provinces, where armed groups have roamed for decades and community mistrust runs deep. On August 17, 2026, a Ugandan Red Cross convoy involved in the cross-border response was attacked in Ituri Province, the epicentre of the outbreak. One team member was seriously injured, and two ambulances were pelted with stones and vandalised. The following day, on August 18, two volunteers were injured while attempting to conduct a safe and dignified burial in the village of Malikuti, located in the Rungu health zone of Haut-Uélé Province. During their evacuation for medical care, two vehicles were also damaged. Then, on August 19, in the city of Beni, North Kivu Province, three volunteers participating in Ebola response activities were violently attacked and injured, with equipment used in the fight against the virus destroyed. These incidents are not isolated; tensions have frequently flared over the handling of the remains of Ebola victims, as burials must be strictly supervised because the virus spreads through contact with bodily fluids, meaning corpses can remain contagious.
The Red Cross has unequivocally stated that these assaults are unacceptable. "Respect for humanitarian personnel and humanitarian activities is essential to ensuring that communities affected by epidemics and other crises continue to receive the assistance and services they urgently need," the Movement said in a joint statement. The organization warned of a devastating cascading effect: every volunteer injured and every ambulance or piece of equipment damaged directly reduces the capacity to provide emergency health services, putting more lives at risk. The outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo species of the virus for which there are no vaccines or treatments, is the biggest in the DRC's history. According to the World Health Organization, the country has registered 2,557 deaths from 5,375 confirmed cases. In the face of this escalating crisis, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has declared it remains fully committed to supporting vulnerable communities, but it has made a desperate and clear appeal: "Volunteers, health workers, and humanitarian staff must be able to carry out their work in complete safety, without fear of violence, intimidation, or threats".
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments