In a shocking event, more than 100 female prisoners were raped and then burned alive during a jailbreak in Goma, Congo, according to a United Nations report. The horrific incident happened as fighters from the M23 rebel group advanced through the city by plunging it into chaos.
The mass breakout at Munzenze prison occurred last Monday, with hundreds of prisoners escaping as the M23 rebels overran the region. According to an internal UN document, between 165 and 167 women were sexually assaulted by male inmates during the jailbreak. Most of the female victims were killed after that. Inmates set fire to the women’s wing of the prison.
UN peacekeeping chief Vivian van de Perre confirmed the atrocity. She told the Guardian, “There was a major prison breakout of 4,000 escaped prisoners. A few hundred women were also in that prison. They were all raped, and then they set fire to the women’s wing. They all died afterwards.”
Goma, a key city of Congo with a population of over one million, fell swiftly to the M23 rebels after a rapid advance through North Kivu province. The UN estimates that at least 2,900 people have been killed in the fighting so far, with 2,000 bodies already buried and another 900 still in city morgues.
City Plunged into Chaos
As the rebels took control, the city was thrown into turmoil. Bodies lay in the streets, and missiles were reportedly seen flying over residential areas. Footage from the jailbreak showed plumes of smoke rising from the prison as gunfire echoed through the air. Another video depicted fled prisoners roaming Goma’s streets.
Earlier this week, M23 rebels announced a unilateral ceasefire on humanitarian grounds. However, the media reported that the group launched a fresh attack just days later and captured the strategic mining town of Nyabibwe.
Located roughly 100 km (60 miles) from Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern Congo, Nyabibwe’s fall has sparked fears that Bukavu may be the rebels’ next target.
Congolese authorities have enlisted hundreds of civilian volunteers to defend Bukavu from the advancing M23 forces in response to the crisis.
Fears of Cholera Outbreak
As Goma residents attempt to adapt to life under M23 control, humanitarian concerns are mounting. Aid organizations warn of an impending cholera outbreak due to deteriorating sanitary conditions.
Stephan Goetghbuer, a regional leader from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), raised alarms about the situation: “Access to water has been cut for days, corpses have been lying in the streets, and waterborne diseases such as cholera are a real threat. Some of our cholera treatment centres are full and have been expanded.”
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Why is they are fighting?
The M23 rebellion is named after the March 23, 2009, peace agreement that ended a previous Tutsi-led revolt in eastern Congo. However, the deal’s failure to be fully implemented led to the group’s resurgence in late 2021, with increasing military backing from Rwanda. The rebels claim to be fighting for the rights of Tutsi communities in Congo, but the conflict has deep geopolitical and economic implications.
The region is highly mineral-rich in gold, tin, and coltan, which are crucial to global electronics manufacturing. This control over these resources has driven successive conflicts as M23 attempted to assert dominance over lucrative mining regions. Further, there is historical tension between Congo and Rwanda dating back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which millions of Rwandan refugees, including genocidaires, crossed into eastern Congo. Rwanda has cited security concerns along its border as a reason for its involvement in eastern Congo.
The declaration of a ceasefire by M23 was the first glimmer of hope, but with the rebels continuing their offensive, the situation remains volatile. If the group advances further south towards Bukavu, the death toll could rise. For now, Goma remains under M23 control, its people struggling under the weight of occupation, disease, and unspeakable violence.