Africa-Press. A French employee of UNICEF and two civilians were killed in a drone strike targeting a residential building in central Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a city currently controlled by the M23 movement.
According to the group’s spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the attack occurred early Wednesday and struck a building in the heart of Goma, killing three people, including Karine Besset, a French UNICEF employee. The United Nations and French President Emmanuel Macron later confirmed the information.
Kanyuka accused the Congolese government of carrying out the attack, describing it as “a terrorist act using a military drone targeting the United Nations and the European Union,” calling it “an unacceptable provocation that endangers thousands of innocent civilians.”
In a statement, the UN humanitarian coordinator in the DRC, Bruno Lemarquis, condemned the escalation, confirming that the strike killed a UN staff member and two civilians and damaged nearby homes.
On the platform X, the French president wrote: “A French humanitarian worker from UNICEF has been killed in Goma… I call for respect for international humanitarian law and for the protection of field workers who dedicate their efforts to saving lives.”
UNICEF expressed “shock and anger” over Besset’s death, describing her as “a committed humanitarian who worked tirelessly to support children and families affected by conflicts and crises.” The organization’s executive director Catherine Russell stressed that “civilians, including humanitarian workers, must never be targets.”
Conflict context
Goma, the capital of North Kivu, is a strategic city controlled by M23 rebels since January 2025. The movement, accused of receiving support from neighboring Rwanda, resumed armed operations in 2021 and seized large areas of the mineral-rich eastern region, reigniting violence in a region long plagued by conflict.
The attack came one day after the Congolese army announced it had shot down two drones it said belonged to Rwandan forces and their allies after entering the airspace of South Kivu province. The army described the incident as a “violation of the Washington agreement” and reaffirmed its readiness to defend national sovereignty.
Despite multiple agreements between the DRC and Rwanda, fighting continues. Kinshasa, the United Nations, and the United States accuse Kigali of supporting the M23, an allegation Rwanda denies, saying it faces threats from armed groups operating inside the DRC.
Earlier this month, Washington imposed sanctions on the Rwandan army and four of its senior officers for allegedly supporting the movement. Rwanda condemned the sanctions as “biased” and defended the role of its military.
