Drone Strikes Hit Goma, Kill French Aid Worker, Two Others – UN
Drone strikes struck Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday, killing at least three people, including a French humanitarian worker, according to officials and the United Nations.
The attack marked the first such strike in the city since fighters from the AFC/M23 rebel group seized control of Goma last year.
The rebel group accused the Congolese military of launching drones into a densely populated urban area of the lakeside city, making the claim in a statement posted on social media.
A spokesperson for the group said three people died in the strike, including a foreign aid worker.
A senior official with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) confirmed that one of its employees, a French national, was among those killed.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) also confirmed that the strike killed a UN staff member and two other civilians, warning that attacks targeting UN personnel could constitute war crimes.
Emmanuel Macron, President of France, and Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, condemned the attack and called for respect for international humanitarian law, stressing that aid workers must never be targeted.
A spokesperson for the Congolese army declined to comment on the accusations. However, the government later confirmed the incident occurred and expressed condolences to the family of the deceased aid worker, adding that investigations were ongoing.
Meanwhile, Jean Maurice Uwera, deputy government spokesperson for Rwanda, said the incident highlighted growing security concerns near Rwanda’s border despite a U.S.-mediated peace agreement signed in Washington, D.C. last year.
Earlier this month, the United States imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and senior military officials over allegations of supporting AFC/M23 rebels in eastern Congo, claims Rwanda has denied.
A journalist in Goma reported hearing two loud explosions around 4 a.m., which shook nearby buildings and were followed by ambulance sirens.
According to a senior AFC/M23 official, one of the drones struck a house rented by UNICEF staff located near a residence used by former Congolese President Joseph Kabila in a neighbourhood housing several prominent political and business figures.
The official added that another drone targeted the residence of AFC/M23 political coordinator Corneille Nangaa but fell into Lake Kivu.
The incident comes after weeks of escalating drone activity by both sides involved in the conflict in eastern Congo.
