(MENAFN) The situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is deteriorating rapidly due to persistent clashes and insufficient humanitarian funding, the UN World Food Program (WFP) cautioned on Friday.

The escalating conflict has forced tens of thousands of residents to abandon their homes, causing severe hunger, stated Cynthia Jones, WFP’s country director for DR Congo, during a weekly press briefing at the UN Geneva Office delivered via video link.

Jones highlighted that UN relief organizations are encountering significant obstacles, particularly in provinces controlled by M23 rebels, who are allegedly supported by Rwanda.

She emphasized that shortfalls in funding for humanitarian operations have intensified the crisis further.

Aid distribution could become significantly more manageable if air access were restored, as two airports in M23-held regions "have been closed basically since the end of January," Jones noted.

She added that WFP is urgently advocating for the creation of a humanitarian air corridor to facilitate relief efforts.

This warning coincides with the publication of a report by UN-supported food insecurity analysts at the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification platform (IPC), which cautioned that nearly 25 million individuals are facing high levels of food insecurity.

Jones explained the human impact, stating: "This means what for families? It means that they're skipping their meals, depleting all of their household assets. They're selling off their animals."

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