A drone strike by the Congolese army hit the AFC/M23-controlled eastern city of Goma on Wednesday, March 11, leaving at least three people dead, including a foreign aid worker, the rebels said. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 vows to defend civilians against ‘Kinshasa’s terror’ In a series of posts on X early on Wednesday, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the attack targeted a densely populated area of the capital of North Kivu province. The city has not seen major clashes since early 2025, when it fell into the control of the rebel movement. “This act of aggression constitutes an intolerable provocation targeting a densely populated urban area and deliberately endangering thousands of innocent civilians,” Kanyuka said. He said a preliminary assessment showed that three people had died in the strike, including a French national and staff member of UNICEF. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 releases 5,000 FARDC soldiers captured on the battlefield The drone strike follows multiple attacks by the Congolese government coalition, which includes thousands of Burundian troops, foreign mercenaries, the genocidal FDLR militia as well as local armed groups called Wazalendo. These drone and artillery attacks targeted civilians, including the Banyamulenge community in Minembwe, South Kivu. AFC/M23 deputy coordinator Bertrand Bisimwa accused the Congolese government of escalating violence and violating the ceasefire. “Currently, the city of Goma is being attacked by drones belonging to the Kinshasa regime,” Bisimwa said, describing the strike as part of “a logic of permanent violation of the ceasefire.” AFC/M23 seized control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, in late January 2025. The group has since maintained control of the city and Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu as well as surrounding areas, saying it will not withdraw from areas it considers “liberated.” Earlier this year, the rebels and the Congolese government also agreed in Doha to operationalise a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism as part of efforts to ease tensions, though both sides have continued to accuse each other of violating the truce.
