Overnight Drone Strikes in Goma Kill Several Amid Rising Tensions
News Updated: 11 March 2026 12:01 EAT
Air or drone strikes struck parts of this eastern provincial capital overnight from Tuesday into Wednesday, killing several people and hitting residential areas, local witnesses and humanitarian sources said early Wednesday.
The strikes came in the early hours of March 11, with explosions and the sound of buzzing drones reported across multiple neighbourhoods of Goma, which has been under the control of the Rwanda‑backed March 23 Movement (M23) since a major offensive in early 2025.
Several buildings were hit in the attacks, including at least one house that was heavily damaged with its roof destroyed and neighbouring structures suffering broken windows from shrapnel.
Local residents told reporters they heard one drone overhead followed by a loud blast that tore a hole in the roof of the targeted building, underscoring the use of unmanned aircraft in the strikes.
Humanitarian sources and witnesses said the overnight bombardment left several people dead, though official tallies have yet to be confirmed by government or international agencies.
A separate local report identified at least three fatalities, including an aid worker and a foreign national associated with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in the drone operation attributed to Congolese army forces.
Firefighters, United Nations personnel and officials aligned with M23 were seen at strike sites on Wednesday morning, as residents and emergency crews assessed the damage and searched for casualties.
M23 leadership condemned what it described as an attack on densely populated areas and accused Kinshasa of deliberate aggression, while government spokespeople have not yet publicly detailed their account of the operation.
The city of Goma, capital of North Kivu province near the Rwandan border, has been a flashpoint in the protracted conflict in eastern DR Congo, with recurring aerial and ground clashes since the M23 captured it in early 2025.
This latest escalation adds to a broader pattern of violence in the region, where civilians have faced displacement, infrastructure damage and insecurity amid intermittent fighting between rebels, government forces and allied militias.
International humanitarian agencies and rights groups have repeatedly warned about the risks to civilians from aerial operations and ground combat in populated areas of North and South Kivu, urging all parties to protect non‑combatants in accordance with international law.
Tags: Article Congolese Millitary Dr Congo East Congo Attacks M23 M23 Rebel M23 Rebels M23 REBELS Signs Media Kenya Limited Signsmedia Signstvkenya
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FELIX MAKONA
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