Last week, in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the M23 rebel group held a solemn symbolic burial for 22 individuals. These victims, they claim, were civilians killed by a drone strike earlier this month in North Kivu province, an attack M23 attributes to the Congolese army (FARDC) and its allies. Families wept as coffins were presented, mourning their lost loved ones.
The event quickly ignited a firestorm of condemnation from the Congolese government. Patrick Muyaya, government spokesperson, lashed out on X, calling the funeral “the height of indecency and inhumanity.” He accused Rwanda and M23 of orchestrating widespread violence – referencing mass graves and abandoned bodies – and denied any fabricated narrative could erase their crimes.
Adding to the controversy, an expert from the Kinshasa-based Ebuteli research center questioned M23’s claim, suggesting the figure of 22 civilian deaths might be exaggerated to elicit international sympathy. He speculated that some coffins could even contain the bodies of combatants. Yet, the human cost is undeniable. One survivor, Promesse Hagenimana, vividly described the terrifying moment an explosion left her injured and a child dead beside her. Masisi General Hospital reported 47 wounded, with 14 still hospitalized.
This burial unfolds against the backdrop of a brutal, decades-long conflict in eastern Congo. Over 100 armed groups, primarily the M23 – accused by the U.S. and U.N. of being backed by Rwanda – vie for control in this mineral-rich region. The fighting has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing over 7 million people. Despite ongoing peace negotiations, violence tragically continues, underscoring the deep divisions and immense suffering in the heart of Africa.
