More than 100 female prisoners were raped and subsequently burned alive during a jailbreak in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, according to a United Nations report seen by the BBC.
The mass prison break occurred last Monday when fighters from the M23 rebel group launched an offensive, leading to the escape of hundreds of inmates from Munzenze prison.
The internal UN document estimates that between 165 and 167 women were sexually assaulted by male prisoners before being killed in a fire set by the inmates.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify these claims. However, disturbing footage from the jailbreak shows people fleeing the facility while smoke billows in the background, with the sounds of heavy gunfire echoing through the city.
Other videos depict escaped prisoners moving through the streets of Goma.
Goma, a city of over one million residents, fell into chaos as the M23 rebels—widely believed to be backed by Rwanda—executed a rapid advance.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation, with bodies lying in the streets and missiles striking residential areas.
The UN has reported at least 2,900 deaths in the ongoing violence, stating that 2,000 bodies have already been buried, while another 900 remain in morgues.
Despite a ceasefire announced earlier this week on humanitarian grounds, M23 rebels reportedly resumed their offensive on Wednesday, capturing the mining town of Nyabibwe.
The town, located around 100 km (60 miles) from Bukavu, is believed to be the rebels’ next major target.
In response, Congolese authorities have mobilized hundreds of civilian volunteers to help defend Bukavu.
Meanwhile, Malawi has announced its intention to begin withdrawing its peacekeeping troops from DR Congo following the deaths of three Malawian soldiers in the fighting near Goma.
The soldiers were part of a southern African peacekeeping force led by South Africa.
Despite the loss of 14 South African troops, President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to keep his forces in the country.
Back in Goma, residents now face the added threat of a cholera outbreak.
Stephan Goetghbuer, a regional lead for the humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), warned that “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,” he added, highlighting the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
Source-BBC
