Around 260,000 children in DR Congo's Kasai region suffering severe acute malnutrition.

More than a quarter of a million children in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) - and thousands of others who have fled with their families to nearby provinces - are suffering severe and acute malnutrition, and need lifesaving treatment, said the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday.

Between 2016 and 2018, large numbers of people were displaced from their homes due to militia-led violence and insecurity in the Kasais, fueling rights abuses and high levels of malnutrition among children.

While pockets of insecurity still remain, thousands who had fled, have now returned to their communities: 'We have been working tirelessly with partners and local communities in the Kasai region to support the slow recovery process following years of conflict and violence that have devastated children and families,' said Gianfranco Rotigliano, UNICEF Representative in the DRC.

At the same time, at least 300,000 Congolese are returning from Angola, causing additional stress on health centers, schools and other basic services in Kasai and compromising access to essential and lifesaving services for many children.

'We are concerned that recent gains for children might be lost in this fragile situation, now that we have many people returning to the region from Angola'...