STORY: Walking through the halls of a hospital in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Goma, Dr. Jules Kafitiye points out the damage from the conflict between M23 rebels and Congolese forces.
“It was just behind here that the shell landed. Otherwise, just a few meters closer to the incubators, we could have had a tragedy involving those children.”
Kafitiye is the director of the Charité Maternelle hospital.
He says shells or bombs fell on the roof of the neonatal unit, damaging the roof and solar panels.
Another room suffered roof damage as well. He says bullets or shrapnel destroyed the walls there.
“If someone had been there, they would have died,” he said.
:: Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
:: January 28, 2025
The United Nations estimates at least 2,800 people have died in recent fighting around Goma.
Congo accuses Rwanda of using M23 to pillage valuable mineral deposits. Rwanda says it is acting in self-defense and to protect ethnic Tutsis.
On Wednesday, the Rwandan-backed rebels took control of another town in eastern Congo despite the unilateral ceasefire they declared earlier this week.
:: Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
:: File
The advance could indicate M23 has renewed a push towards Bukavu.
