UN Condemns Rebel Raids on Medical Facilities in Goma
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have abducted at least 130 sick and wounded patients from two hospitals in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations reported on Monday, March 4, 2025.
According to UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, M23 fighters stormed CBCA Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital on February 28, forcibly taking 116 patients from CBCA and 15 others from Heal Africa. The rebels claimed the patients were Congolese army soldiers or members of the pro-government Wazalendo militia.
“It is deeply distressing that M23 is taking patients from their hospital beds in coordinated raids and holding them incommunicado in undisclosed locations,” Shamdasani stated, urging their immediate release.
Since early 2025, M23 rebels have seized key cities in the biggest escalation of the conflict in over a decade, killing approximately 3,000 people. In a three-week offensive, they took Goma—a strategic eastern city—and Bukavu, the DRC’s second-largest city. The mineral-rich region contains gold and coltan, a crucial resource for manufacturing consumer electronics like laptops and smartphones.
UN experts estimate that 4,000 Rwandan troops are backing M23, despite Rwanda denying involvement. The rebels claim they are protecting Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination, but analysts dismiss this as a cover for Rwandan interference.
Last week, an explosion at an M23 rally in Bukavu killed 11 people and injured dozens, further escalating tensions in the war-torn region.
Source: africanews