The U.N. rights chief says eastern Congo's escalating violence is being forgotten by the world

GOMA, Congo (AP) — The world is forgetting the escalating violence in eastern Congo as conflicts continue in places like Ukraine and Gaza, the U.N. human rights chief said Wednesday while visiting the region and calling for peace and support for millions repeatedly displaced.

Eastern Congo has long been overrun by more than 120 armed groups seeking to control the region’s rich resources as they carry out mass killings. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced in recent months, worsening one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. About 7 million people are displaced, many beyond the reach of aid.

The humanitarian crisis must be taken “very seriously” to avoid further escalation, U.N. rights chief Volker Türk said after meeting with displaced people in Bulengo near Goma, the region’s largest city. It hosts most of the displaced people but is increasingly threatened by fighting in surrounding villages.