The AFC/M23 armed group on Thursday held a collective funeral in Goma for 22 people killed in a drone strike earlier this month in Masisi territory, North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The ceremony, held at Unity Stadium, brought together grieving families amid renewed attention on the toll of the long-running conflict on civilians. Relatives said the victims included non-combatants caught in the blast. “I came here for the funeral of my child,” said Mubechi Bwere, whose son Amani Bisibuzo died in the strike. Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières reported that at least 42 people were wounded, many of them women and children, after shrapnel struck homes and surrounding areas.
The M23 group accused the Congolese army of carrying out the drone attack, an allegation the government has not confirmed or denied. The United Nations mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, condemned the use of drones and any attacks that harm civilians or civilian infrastructure, calling for an independent investigation to establish responsibility. Eastern DR Congo has endured decades of violence involving armed groups, state forces, and foreign actors, leading to mass displacement, repeated human rights abuses, and a persistent humanitarian crisis. Families of the victims renewed calls for accountability and dialogue, urging Congolese authorities and armed groups to reach a political solution to end the fighting.
