Red Cross workers in Goma continued conducting mass burials on Tuesday, a week after M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, took control of the city. Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani confirmed that 2,000 bodies had been buried, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) revised the death toll to at least 900, excluding those still in morgues.
Grieving families expressed their anguish and pleaded for authorities to restore peace.
“We lost three people—some from a bomb, another was shot. We are devastated,” said Debors Zuzu, a family member. “We have lived in fear for too long. If everyone dies, who will the leaders govern?”
At the ITIG cemetery, Elisha Dunia, who lost a child in the violence, called on the government to take action. “We are heartbroken. We ask the president and our deputies to get involved in restoring peace in Goma.”
The M23 rebel group, supported by an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops, has strengthened its control over eastern Congo, a region rich in minerals critical for global technology. This escalation has displaced hundreds of thousands, many of whom have fled to Rwanda.
Last week, the M23 declared its intention to set up an administration in Goma, urging residents to return to normal life. On Monday, they announced a unilateral ceasefire, effective Tuesday, citing humanitarian concerns. However, uncertainty remains as the city continues to mourn its victims and faces ongoing instability.
