Several people were killed and buildings damaged after overnight air strikes struck the eastern city of Goma, according to witnesses and humanitarian sources. Residents reported hearing loud explosions and drones flying over residential neighborhoods late Tuesday into Wednesday in the provincial capital, which lies near the border with Rwanda. Goma has been under the control of the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) since it captured the city during a rapid offensive in 2025. One reported drone strike hit the residence of a staff member linked to the UNICEF, causing significant damage. An journalist at the scene said the house was badly burned, with the roof partially destroyed and surrounding buildings damaged by shrapnel that shattered windows.
An aid worker nearby said he heard a drone overhead shortly before a powerful explosion tore through the building, leaving what he described as a large hole in the roof. Officials from the M23 alliance, firefighters and personnel connected to the United Nations were seen inspecting the site on Wednesday morning as emergency responders assessed the damage. The rebel group, which forms part of the broader Alliance Fleuve Congo coalition, accused the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) of launching the drone strikes. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo had not immediately commented on the allegations.
The renewed violence highlights the fragile security situation in eastern Congo, where the M23 insurgency has intensified since the group resumed fighting in 2021. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians and heightened tensions between Congo and Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of backing the rebels, an accusation Kigali denies. Eastern Congo is one of Africa’s most volatile regions, partly due to competition over valuable minerals such as cobalt, coltan and gold. The latest attacks in Goma raise fears of further escalation in a conflict that has already triggered a major humanitarian crisis.
