In an escalation of violence in North Kivu, the rebel group M23 carried out two coordinated attacks on CBCA/Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital in Goma last Sunday night, kidnapping at least 130 people, including patients and medical staff.

Details of the Kidnapping

• 116 patients were taken from CBCA/Ndosho and 15 from Heal Africa.
• The M23 justified the abduction, claiming that those taken were Congolese army soldiers or members of the pro-government Wazalendo militia.
• Gunfire and bayonet threats created panic in the hospitals, affecting both patients and medical personnel.

UN Condemns the Attack

The spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, Ravina Shamdasani, expressed concern:

“It is deeply troubling that M23 is pulling patients from their hospital beds and holding them in undisclosed locations. They must be released immediately so they can continue their treatment.”

Shamdasani reminded that, under International Humanitarian Law, hospitals must be protected and respected, and the wounded must receive medical care without interference.

Humanitarian Crisis in the Region

Due to the escalating conflict in North and South Kivu, more than 80,000 people have fled to neighboring provinces, including 61,000 refugees in Burundi.

The mass abduction by M23, along with its military advances in eastern Congo, highlights the urgency of an international response to the growing humanitarian and security crisis in the region.

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