More than 2,000 bodies require burial in the eastern Congolese city of Goma following a brutal offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, Congo’s Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya said Monday.
Relative calm has returned after the rebel alliance, which includes M23, declared a unilateral ceasefire for humanitarian reasons set to begin Tuesday. However, sporadic gunfire and looting persist, while overwhelmed hospitals and bodies left in the streets highlight the devastating toll of the conflict.
Authorities say the number of bodies awaiting burial reflects the extent of civilian massacres in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province and a hub for gold, coltan, and tin mining. The United Nations estimates at least 900 people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured in the fighting leading to the city’s capture.
M23, a heavily armed Tutsi-led group, is the latest in a series of Rwandan-backed militias to emerge in eastern Congo following the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda denies supporting M23, despite multiple UN reports citing evidence of military backing.
The conflict has worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis. The UN World Food Programme reported that more than 700,000 people were displaced in Goma last month as civilians fled the fighting.
Aid organizations are working alongside local authorities to clear hospital morgues and bury bodies amid growing concerns about disease outbreaks.
“The land where bodies can be buried in Goma is extremely limited,” said Myriam Favier, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross sub-delegation in Goma. She noted that power outages last week affected morgue refrigeration, making it a “race against time” to identify and bury the dead.
Bruno Lemarquis, the top UN aid official in Congo, called for the immediate reopening of Goma’s airport to allow humanitarian flights.
Despite M23’s announcement that it has no intention of advancing toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, Congolese officials remain skeptical.
“M23 says one thing and always does the opposite,” said Congo army spokesman Sylvain Ekenge. “They call for a ceasefire to reorganize and reinforce their ranks.”
Congo’s parliament is set to hold an emergency session Tuesday to discuss the crisis, while regional leaders from eastern and southern Africa are scheduled to meet in Tanzania later this week. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has confirmed his attendance, but Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Goma’s capture has sparked international condemnation, but Congolese officials are demanding stronger action, including sanctions on Rwanda. Kigali insists it is acting in self-defense and protecting ethnic Tutsis, while Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of using M23 to exploit Congo’s vast mineral wealth.
Denis Mukwege, Congo’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning gynecologist, criticized the international community for what he called “double standards” in continuing to support Rwanda despite multiple UN reports linking it to ongoing conflicts in eastern Congo.
“It is a policy of double standards,” Mukwege said in a post on X.
