Photo of the week : Goma rises up against bombing of civilians after aid worker’s death

Thousands of residents of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, participated in a large peaceful march on Thursday to denounce the bombing of civilian areas and call for respect for the ceasefire in the region.

Organized at the call of the local civil society, the demonstration came the day after a drone attack struck a residential neighborhood of the city at dawn on Wednesday, March 11, killing several civilians, including a French aid worker employed by the UNICEF.

A Sea of ​​people in the streets of Goma

From the early hours of the morning, large crowds converged from several neighborhoods of the city, including the Airport-Birere roundabout, Mugunga, Ndosho, President Entrance, Kihisi, Majengo, Deux Lampes, and Instigo areas.

The processions gradually reached the Signers roundabout, forming a human tide of men, women, and young people from all 18 neighborhoods of the city, as well as from the neighboring territory of Nyiragongo.

Carrying placards and banners, the demonstrators denounced what they called indiscriminate bombings against civilians.

Several slogans were visible in the crowd :

“No to indiscriminate bombings against civilians”

“Respect the ceasefire”

“Protect innocent people”

In a determined yet peaceful atmosphere, the demonstrators sang songs and chanted slogans calling for an end to the violence in the east of the country.

A memorandum was delivered to MONUSCO

After gathering at the Signers roundabout, the demonstrators continued their march toward the headquarters of the United Nations mission in the DRC, MONUSCO.

On site, representatives of the civil society publicly read a memorandum before handing it to the heads of the UN mission.

In this document, the organizers called for, among other things :

the urgent protection of civilians in the east of the country;

the opening of independent investigations into the reported bombings;

increased pressure from the international community to enforce the ceasefire commitments.

The demonstrators also called on the United Nations to play a more active role in preventing attacks targeting populated areas.

Accusations against Kinshasa

During the march, several speakers accused the Kinshasa government of being responsible for drone strikes that targeted residential neighborhoods in Goma.

According to the organizers, the use of armed drones in densely populated areas constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Some participants also called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi’s responsibility for possible war crimes.

Deadly strike in a residential area

According to several local sources, two armed drones were used in the attack, which occurred at dawn on Wednesday.

The first drone reportedly crashed into the waters of Lake Kivu without causing major damage.

The second drone struck a residential complex located in an inhabited area, causing significant material damage and sowing panic among the residents.

The strike claimed the life of Karine Buisset, a French national working in humanitarian programs for the UNICEF.

Several neighboring homes were also damaged, with broken windows, walls hit by shrapnel, and vehicles damaged.

Reaction from Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron reacted to the death of the French aid worker in a message posted on his Twitter account.

“A French aid worker from the UNICEF was killed in Goma. To her family, loved ones, and colleagues, I offer the support and condolences of the nation. I call for respect for humanitarian law and for the personnel on the ground who are working to save lives,” the President wrote.

Kinshasa condemns the explosions

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo also officially reacted to the explosions in Goma.

In a statement released by the Congolese Ministry of Communication and Media, the authorities affirmed that they are monitoring the situation closely while reiterating their commitment to respecting international humanitarian law.

Kinshasa expressed its deep sadness following the confirmation of the French aid worker’s death, offering its condolences to the victim’s family, loved ones, the French government, and the humanitarian community.

The Congolese government also indicated that the exact circumstances of these incidents, which occurred in occupied areas, are currently under investigation to establish responsibility.

A city at the heart of a regional conflict

The city of Goma is at the center of the conflict that has been shaking eastern DRC for several years.

Since January 27, 2025, the city has been controlled by rebels from the March 23 Movement (M23), part of the Congo River Alliance (AFC) led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Congolese electoral commission.

The coalition advocates for the establishment of a federal state in the DRC.

Kinshasa regularly accuses Rwanda of supporting this rebellion, which Kigali denies.

Civilians trapped

For many residents of Goma, Thursday’s march primarily reflects the exasperation of a population that has been facing insecurity and armed violence for years.

As regional rivalries and strategic interests continue to fuel the conflict in eastern DRC, civilians and humanitarian workers remain, once again, the primary victims of this war.

Clarifications

In an earlier version of this article, SOS Médias Burundi reported that the victim of the bombing was Christine Guinot.

Subsequent confirmation revealed that the person killed was actually Karine Buisset, a French national working for the UNICEF.

According to information gathered by SOS Médias Burundi, Christine Guinot, who rented the apartment hit by the strike, was not present at the time of the bombing.

Our photo : residents of Goma protest against bombings targeting civilian areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, following the death of a French UNICEF aid worker in a drone strike in a residential neighborhood