Intense clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have forced thousands of people to flee their homes, according to local and international relief organizations.

Valeria Kakavo of the Red Cross in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, said, “This month has witnessed the fiercest fighting.”

The Red Cross in Geneva noted that armed clashes across multiple areas of South Kivu have resulted in deaths and forced thousands of families to leave behind all their possessions.

The organization added that more than 100 civilians injured by gunfire have received treatment at Red Cross-supported hospitals in South Kivu since the beginning of December.