GOMA, DRC – In a harrowing account of violence and brutality, more than 100 female prisoners were raped and burnt alive during a jailbreak in the Congolese city of Goma, according to a United Nations (UN) report. The incident occurred last Monday as fighters from the M23 rebel group advanced on the city, plunging it into chaos and leaving residents in fear for their lives.
The UN report, seen by the BBC, states that between 165 and 167 women were sexually assaulted by male inmates during the mass escape from Munzenze prison. Most of the women were killed after the inmates set fire to the prison’s women’s wing. Vivian van de Perre, the UN peacekeeping chief, confirmed the horrific details, telling The Guardian: “There was a major prison breakout of 4,000 escaped prisoners. A few hundred women were also in that prison. They were all raped and then they set fire to the women’s wing. They all died afterwards.”
Footage from the jailbreak showed people fleeing the prison as smoke billowed in the background, with heavy gunfire echoing through the city. In a separate video, individuals believed to be escaped prisoners were seen filing through Goma’s streets. The Congolese government has reported that more than 2,000 people were killed as the M23 clashed with Congolese forces and their allies. The UN, however, estimates at least 900 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries, though the reason for the discrepancy in death tolls remains unclear.
The violence has forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring areas. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has warned that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war by rival armed groups in Goma, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
Van de Perre expressed cautious optimism about the ceasefire, stating: “I hope it stays that way because they [M23] were already moving in the direction of Bukavu with reinforcements and heavy weaponry, which can be seen passing [along] the streets in Goma. If they retreat, that’s good news. Otherwise, we’ll have a new clash with potentially thousands of additional deaths.”
The M23 rebels temporarily took over Goma in 2012 and resurfaced in late 2021, with increasing support from Rwanda, according to Congolese government officials and UN experts. Rwanda has consistently denied these allegations. Congolese officials have accused Rwanda of committing “a frontal aggression [and] a declaration of war,” stating that the country is “in a war situation.”
The latest escalation of hostilities has raised fears of further destabilisation in the region, which is already grappling with one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. More than six million people have been displaced, and the situation in Goma is dire. Stephan Goetghbuer, a regional lead from the charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), warned of a potential cholera outbreak, saying: “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.”
As Goma’s residents adapt to life under M23 control, the international community watches with growing concern. The use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, coupled with the rebels’ relentless advance, has left the region on the brink of further catastrophe. The UN and humanitarian organisations continue to call for urgent action to address the crisis and protect the lives of civilians caught in the crossfire.
The situation in eastern DR Congo remains volatile, with no end in sight to the violence that has plagued the region for decades.
