All inmates detained at the Central Prison of Bukavu, located in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have escaped following the withdrawal of security personnel as M23 rebels advanced into the city.
The mass escape occurred after prison guards and other security forces abandoned their posts, fleeing from the approaching M23 armed group, which has been engaged in an intensified military campaign in the region.
Prisoners at the Bukavu facility had previously attempted to escape on February 14, 2025, when the first wave of M23 fighters entered the city. However, their efforts were thwarted at the time. By the morning of February 16, it became evident that the prison was completely empty, coinciding with reports that government troops had entirely withdrawn from Bukavu.
A similar incident took place earlier in Goma, where inmates from Munzenze Central Prison also escaped before M23 forces captured the city on January 27, 2025. Security personnel guarding the facility had fled in anticipation of the takeover, allowing prisoners to break free.
Lt. Col. Willy Ngoma, the military spokesperson for M23, confirmed the group’s continued advances in the region. In a statement, he declared that, “Now, the residents of Bukavu can breathe the air of liberation,” strongly implying that the city was now under M23 control.
The situation in eastern DRC remains highly volatile, with government forces struggling to maintain control as M23 expands its hold over strategic urban centers. The prison breaks in both Goma and Bukavu raise concerns over public safety and the reintegration of escapees into an already unstable environment.
