During the twin bomb blasts that hit two camps for displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, at least 12 people, including children, were killed. The attacks occurred in Lac Vert and Mugunga near Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, and injured at least 20 people. The United Nations stated that these attacks were a violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, potentially constituting a war crime.
Residents described running as bombs were fired at the camp. The Congolese military and the United States accused the military in Rwanda and the M23 rebel group of being responsible for the attacks. Rwanda denied these accusations, stating that their army would not attack displaced people. The DRC’s army claimed the attacks were in retaliation for strikes on Rwandan army positions.
Save The Children, an international charity, reported being present at one of the camps when shells struck close to a marketplace, injuring dozens. The final death toll was unclear. The aid group called for the protection of civilians in displacement camps and an end to the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
President Felix Tshisekedi cut short his trip to Europe following the bombings and returned home. He has accused Rwanda of destabilizing the DRC by supporting the M23 rebels. The US condemned the attack and called for respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Doctors Without Borders had to halt medical activities due to the rising insecurity caused by the attacks. The group condemned the use of heavy artillery near sites for internally displaced people around Goma. French President Emmanuel Macron called on Rwanda to stop supporting the M23 rebels during a joint news conference with Tshisekedi in Paris.
The violence in eastern DRC has caused hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee towards Goma, leading to a humanitarian crisis. The conflict has resulted in millions of deaths and displacements since 1996.