Drone Strike Kills U.n. Aid Worker In The Eastern Congo City Of Goma

GOMA, Congo — A bid of explosions attributed to drones killed astatine slightest 1 person, a U.N. assistance worker, arsenic nan onslaught connected nan Wednesday rocked downtown Goma successful eastbound Congo, according to nan M23 rebel group and section residents.

The drone strikes deed Lake Kivu and a backstage residence located astir 164 feet from nan location of erstwhile Congo President Joseph Kabila Kabange.

M23 blamed nan authorities for nan attack. The authorities didn’t instantly respond to a petition for comment. The rebel group said that nan onslaught killed 3 people, but nan number couldn’t beryllium instantly confirmed. Residents said they only had seen a azygous body.

Karine Buisset, a French nationalist and a UNICEF employee, was successful nan residence and killed successful nan attack, M23 and residents said.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell confirmed Buisset’s decease successful a station connected X.

“All of america astatine UNICEF are devastated and outraged by nan killing,” Russell said. “Civilians, including assistance workers, must ne'er beryllium targeted.”

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed condolences to nan victim’s family.

“I telephone for respect for humanitarian rule and for nan unit connected nan crushed who are committed to redeeming lives,” he wrote connected X.

Since January 2025, conflicts person flared betwixt nan Congolese equipped forces and nan Rwanda-backed M23 aft nan group swept done nan eastbound region successful lightning attacks and seized cardinal cities. A drone onslaught successful February killed a spokesperson and elder charismatic profoundly progressive successful nan operations of nan rebel group.

The conflict, which has raged connected contempt a truce brokered by nan United States and Qatar, has sparked a immense humanitarian crisis, pinch astatine slightest 7 cardinal group displaced.

Alonga writes for nan Associated Press.