Deadly clashes in Goma leave 13 Wazalendo fighters dead
At least 13 fighters from the Wazalendo militia were killed following an overnight attack in the city of Goma, authorities from the rebel coalition AFC/M23 reported on Monday.
According to the group, the clashes occurred during the night of Sunday into Monday, March 16, when Wazalendo fighters allegedly launched an assault on parts of the city. In addition to the fatalities, three fighters were reportedly captured.
AFC/M23 claimed that the attackers had advanced from Virunga National Park, accusing them of attempting to loot goods, particularly food supplies, amid ongoing insecurity in the region.
Residents reported intense gunfire across several neighborhoods, including Mugunga, Ndosho, and Kyeshero, where both light and heavy weapons were used. The situation triggered fear among civilians, many of whom sought shelter as the clashes unfolded.
The latest violence comes less than a week after a separate deadly drone strike in Goma that killed three people, including a French national working for the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF.
Responsibility for the drone attack remains unclear. While AFC/M23 accused the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of being behind the strike, authorities in Kinshasa have denied the allegations.
In response to the killing of its citizen, judicial authorities in France have launched an investigation, though no conclusions have yet been made public.
