UN warns 400,000 children suffering severe malnutrition in Congo’s Kasai

The UN Children’s Fund has warned that at least 400,000 children under five in Congo’s troubled Kasai region are severely malnourished. More than 18 months of deadly violence, displacement and reduced agricultural production are contributing to the problem, UNICEF said Tuesday. It said the children could die next year if not urgently reached with aid. About 220 health centers have been destroyed or damaged and crops have been neglected, with 1.4 million people displaced, according to UNICEF. The Catholic Church estimated months ago that more than 3,300 people have been killed in fighting in the Kasai region, AP reported.