Nearly 3,000 people have lost their lives in violent clashes between M23 rebels and the Congolese army over control of the eastern city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The fighting has left the city in turmoil, with thousands of bodies piling up in the streets and morgues overwhelmed by the massive death toll.
According to a senior United Nations official, most of the dead are civilians caught in the crossfire.
Vivian van de Perre, the deputy head of the U.N. mission in the DRC, shared that 2,000 bodies have already been recovered from Goma’s streets, with an additional 900 in hospital morgues.
She warned that the number of casualties will likely rise as many bodies are still decomposing in areas that remain inaccessible.
“We expect this number to go up,” she said. “There are still many decomposing bodies in many areas.”
The World Health Organisation has expressed concern about the potential for disease outbreaks due to the unsanitary conditions caused by the bodies left behind.
The M23 rebel group, reportedly supported by Rwanda, resumed heavy offensives in early January, breaking a ceasefire and pushing deeper into the mineral-rich eastern region.
The DRC government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the rebels, a claim that Kigali denies, while also accusing the DRC of supporting rival armed groups.
Goma, a city of over a million people, has now fallen under the control of the M23, and most of the city’s exit routes and the airport are under their command.
With the violence escalating, a growing humanitarian crisis is unfolding. Thousands of displaced civilians are seeking shelter at U.N. peacekeeping bases, which are already overcrowded.
The conflict continues to spread, with heavy fighting reported closer to Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital.
The U.N. has raised alarms about the potential loss of key infrastructure, such as Bukavu’s airport, which is crucial for ongoing humanitarian aid efforts in the region.
“All exit routes from Goma are under their control, and the airport, also under M23 control, is closed until further notice,” Vivian van de Perre told reporters.
