Drone Strikes on M23-held DR Congo City Kill Several People. Goma, DR Congo — Air strikes overnight Tuesday to Wednesday killed several people in the key eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Goma, controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia, sources told AFP.
The M23 has been seizing control of the mineral-rich Congolese east since 2021, with Rwanda’s support, leading to a surge in violence in the region, which has been long-affected by conflict.
Witnesses reported hearing the sound of bomb blasts and buzzing drones in various residential areas of Goma, a large provincial capital near the border with Rwanda, which the M23 captured in a swift offensive in 2025.
A drone strike was reported in the city, with one device reportedly hitting the residence of a UNICEF staff member, according to a report from Africanews.
The AFC/M23 claimed the drone was launched by the Congolese army.
The government has not yet commented on these allegations. At this stage, the exact official toll of the strikes is not yet known, but the damage is considerable. Humanitarian sources reported several buildings targeted and several people killed by Wednesday morning.
One of the houses hit was severely damaged, with its roof destroyed and windows blown out by shrapnel.
An aid worker close to the house told AFP that he had heard the sound of a drone, followed by a loud explosion that blew a “hole in the roof “of the building. Firefighters, United Nations employees, and officials from the M23 were present at the site on Wednesday morning.
The situation remains developing, with further details expected to emerge as the situation unfolds. Officials have not yet commented on the allegations of drone strikes by the Congolese army.
