The United Nations (UN) has revealed that more than 100 female prisoners were raped and then burned alive during a jailbreak in the eastern Congolese city of Goma.
The attack occurred last Monday when hundreds of inmates escaped from Munzenze prison amid an offensive by the M23 rebel group.
An internal UN document seen by the BBC states that between 165 and 167 women were sexually assaulted by male inmates during the jailbreak. The report further claimed that most of the victims were killed after the prisoners set fire to the facility.
According to BBC, the jailbreak took place as M23 fighters, backed by Rwanda, advanced rapidly through eastern DR Congo, capturing Goma, a city of over one million people.
The takeover plunged the city into chaos, with reports of bodies in the streets and missiles striking residential areas. Footage from the incident showed people fleeing from the building as smoke rose in the background.
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Another video reportedly captured escaped inmates moving through Goma’s streets.
The UN says at least 2,900 people were killed during the fighting, with 2,000 bodies already buried and another 900 still in the city’s morgues. Earlier this week, the rebels declared a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds.
However, sources report that M23 launched a fresh offensive on Wednesday, capturing the mining town of Nyabibwe. The town, located about 100 kilometres from Bukavu, is believed to be the next target of the rebels’ advance.
In response, Congolese authorities have mobilised hundreds of civilian volunteers to help defend Bukavu. Meanwhile, Malawi has announced plans to withdraw its peacekeeping forces following the deaths of three of its soldiers in the fighting around Goma.
The Malawian troops were part of a South African-led regional force. Despite losing 14 soldiers, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to keep his forces in the country.
Back in Goma, residents now face an additional crisis, with fears of a cholera outbreak due to deteriorating sanitary conditions. Stephan Goetghbuer, a regional lead with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), warned: “Access to water has been cut for days, corpses have been lying in the streets and waterborne diseases such as cholera are a real threat. Some of our cholera treatment centres are full and have been expanded.”
