At least 20 civilians were killed and 57 others injured following a drone strike on a public market in Masisi Territory, in eastern DR Congo’s North Kivu Province, according to the AFC/M23 reports. ALSO READ: Veteran US diplomat urges action on Tutsi persecution in DR Congo In a statement issued on Friday, May 8, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the attack occurred between 3:45 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. and targeted the Mushaki market and was carried out by government forces. “The provisional toll indicates at least 20 civilians killed and more than 57 injured, including women, children, and other vulnerable individuals,” Kanyuka said. ALSO READ: Bisimwa condemns ‘indifference’ of mediators amid Kinshasa’s attacks He accused forces aligned with the government in Kinshasa, who include the FARDC, Burundian forces, Kinshasa-backed Rwandan genocidal militia FDLR, mercenaries, Wazalendo and other militias of carrying out the strike, identifying it “a war crime and a crime against humanity.” According to the statement, several nearby homes were also destroyed, raising fears that the death toll could increase as emergency teams continue rescue operations. ALSO READ: Congolese lawyer questions mediators’ silence amid attacks against Banyamulenge The attack comes amid growing concerns that the government coalition continue to pursue military operations in eastern DR Congo despite ongoing peace talks. AFC/M23 further noted that since the beginning of May, government coalition forces have conducted repeated drone strikes and bombardments in several areas across eastern DR Congo, Masisi Territory in North Kivu, and Kalehe Territory in South Kivu. ALSO READ: Banyamulenge protest in US, Kenya amid rising calls for action on Minembwe crisis The group cited attacks in Gakenke and Mikenke in central Minembwe, as well as strikes in Kalenga, Lumbishi, Rutare, and Rugezi in the same month, noting the operations caused civilian deaths and mass displacement. “The conduct displayed by [President] Felix Tshisekedi over a prolonged period clearly demonstrates a lack of love for both the country and its population,” Kanyuka said, “In light of the above, the AFC/M23 considers that the peace process cannot be unilateral: it takes two to tango.” “We therefore cannot continue to passively witness attacks against innocent civilians in liberated areas, nor against our own positions.” ALSO READ: Banyamulenge take Burundi govt to court over abuses in Minembwe The movement called on the international community including the African Union, Qatar, the United States, the European Union, the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the United Nations, to take note of repeated violations by the Kinshasa government. ALSO READ: DR Congo: Deadline elapses for prisoner release AFC/M23 deputy coordinator Bertrand Bisimwa condemned the attack on the market, saying civilians were increasingly being targeted despite peace initiatives underway. “It is unacceptable to allow the Kinshasa regime the freedom to violate all peace protocols it has signed, to target civilian sites, and to murder innocents,” Bisimwa said. “We will protect our populations in the liberated zone until the threat is extinguished.” ALSO READ: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa states four reasons why his movement is fighting Tshisekedi govt The United States Department's Bureau of African Affairs also condemned the attack. The United States condemns today’s drone strike in Mushaki, North Kivu and the massacres near Uvira, South Kivu, the bureau said in a post on X. All parties must exercise maximum restraint, implement their ceasefire commitments, protect civilians, and commit to dialogue and de-escalation. Reacting to the reports, Congolese lawyer and politician Moise Nyarugabo said the strike had devastated not only the market but also nearby residential areas, noting that by the time he issued his statement, the number of injured had risen to 60 as emergency teams continued rescue operations. “When we talk about criminals who take pleasure in killing and shedding blood, which has nothing to do with the art of war, we are not exaggerating,” Nyarugabo said. “What just happened tonight has no connection whatsoever with the ongoing war or the front line.” “The perpetrators of these war crimes and their accomplices will be held accountable one way or another, sooner or later. These crimes are not subject to any statute of limitations.”
