UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is sounding the alarm over a surge in violence in Ituri province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is severely disrupting life-saving operations in the region, a UN spokesperson said Tuesday.

The town of Bule and nearby areas have experienced ongoing hostilities since early December, and local authorities reported that at least 25 civilians have been killed and more than 40 injured over the last month, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, at a daily briefing.

OCHA reported that the insecurity has effectively cut off assistance to more than 87,000 displaced people currently living in and around Bule, and these families face critical shortages of food, healthcare and clean water, Dujarric said.

Due to the volatile security situation, no humanitarian group has been able to operate in the affected areas for more than a month, he added.

"The UN reminds all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers wherever they need to be," he said, adding that safe, predictable and unhindered humanitarian access is essential to deliver life-saving assistance and to prevent a further deterioration of the situation. ■