More than 100 female prisoners were raped and then burned alive during a violent jailbreak in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, according to a United Nations report.
The mass prison break occurred last Monday when fighters from the M23 rebel group launched an offensive, taking control of the city. In the ensuing chaos, between 165 and 167 women were reportedly assaulted by male inmates inside Munzenze prison before being set on fire.
Goma, a city of over a million people, fell to the Rwanda-backed M23 after the rebels made rapid advances through eastern DR Congo. As the city descended into turmoil, bodies were seen lying in the streets, and missiles were reported flying over residential areas.
Footage from the jailbreak showed prisoners fleeing the facility as smoke billowed from the building, with heavy gunfire echoing in the background.
The clashes between the M23 and Congolese forces, along with their allies, have resulted in significant casualties. While DR Congo’s government estimates over 2,000 deaths, the UN has reported at least 900 killed and nearly 3,000 wounded. The reason for the discrepancy in the death toll remains unclear.
Earlier this week, the rebels declared a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds. However, the truce was short-lived, as M23 launched a fresh offensive on Wednesday, seizing the town of Nyabibwe, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern DR Congo and a reported target of the rebels’ advance.
The humanitarian situation in Goma and surrounding areas remains dire as violence continues to escalate.
