Over 100 women raped, burnt alive during mass jailbreak in Congo

Goma, a metropolis of much than 1 cardinal people, fell to M23 rebels pursuing their accelerated advance done eastbound Democratic Republic of the Congo. The UN reports that astatine slightest 2,900 radical were killed successful the fighting, with 2,000 bodies buried and different 900 inactive successful morgues.

The lawman caput of the UN peacekeeping unit successful Goma, Vivian van de Perre confirmed that astir 4,000 prisoners escaped from the facility, including a fewer 100 women who were trapped successful the fire.

“They were each raped and past they acceptable occurrence to the women’s wing. They each died afterwards,” Van de Perre told The Guardian.

The UN bureau of the precocious commissioner for quality rights (OHCHR) has warned that intersexual unit is being utilized arsenic a limb of warfare by rival equipped groups successful Goma.

Footage from the jailbreak showed prisoners fleeing arsenic fume billowed successful the background, with dense gunfire ringing out. In different video, escaped prisoners were seen marching done the streets of Goma.

Meanwhile, contempt announcing a humanitarian ceasefire, the M23 launched a caller violative connected Wednesday, capturing Nyabibwe, a mining municipality 100 km (60 miles) from Bukavu, the east’s second-largest city, BBC reported. The Congolese authorities person enlisted hundreds of civilian volunteers to support Bukavu from an expected assault.

Van de Perre warned of “a caller clash with perchance thousands of further deaths” if the rebels determination southbound toward Bukavu.

Growing Humanitarian Crisis

As Goma residents accommodate to beingness nether M23 control, humanitarian concerns are mounting. Access to cleanable h2o has been chopped off, and bodies stay successful the streets, expanding the hazard of illness outbreaks.

Red Cross unit load bodies of victims of the warring betwixt Congolese authorities forces and M23 rebels successful a motortruck successful Goma, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, arsenic the U.N. wellness bureau said 900 died successful the fight. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

Stephan Goetghbuer, a determination pb from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), told the BBC, “Access to h2o has been chopped for days, corpses person been lying successful the streets, and waterborne diseases specified arsenic cholera are a existent threat. Some of our cholera attraction centres are afloat and person been expanded.”

Meanwhile, determination peacekeeping efforts are shifting. Malawi has announced plans to retreat its peacekeeping forces aft 3 of its soldiers were killed. South Africa, which has mislaid 14 soldiers, has vowed to proceed its subject presence, according to BBC reports.