Over 40 feared dead in east Congo after crackdown on anti-UN protest

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – At least 40 people have been reported dead in an army crackdown on anti-United Nations demonstrations in east Congo. This death toll is approximately six times higher than the initial reports of seven casualties. This information was provided by two military sources on Thursday.

In the city of Goma, Congo’s army violently dispersed a protest against the U.N. peacekeeping mission and other foreign organizations. The demonstration was triggered by footage of an attack on a policeman, although Reuters was not able to verify the authenticity of the video. Authorities reported that the policeman was stoned to death and the army intervened, resulting in six protester deaths.

However, two military officers, choosing to remain anonymous, claimed that hospitals have been receiving numerous lorries filled with bodies since the protest. According to their information, the death toll is surpassed 40. A U.N. source mentioned that “credible” allegations of over fifty deaths are being investigated, as soldiers blocked protesters who had congregated in a church before the demonstration.

Guillaume Ndjike, the provincial army spokesperson, dismissed these reports and maintained that the death toll remained at seven. On social media, unverified footage circulated, showing soldiers loading bodies onto a lorry and driving them through Goma in a convoy.

Anne-Sylvie Linder, the head of the local branch of the International Red Cross in Goma, disclosed that her clinic received a significant number of individuals with severe stab and gunshot wounds following the protest. Linder did not provide an exact figure for the number of deceased individuals upon arrival at the clinic.

Constant Ndima, the military governor for the North Kivu province, confirmed that an investigation had been initiated regarding the incident. The U.N.’s peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo, also referred to as MONUSCO, has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Protests against the mission have taken place since 2022, fueled in part by grievances that it has not effectively protected civilians against the prolonged violence perpetrated by militias. In July 2022, an anti-MONUSCO protest resulted in over 15 deaths, including three peacekeepers in Goma and the city of Butembo.

(Reporting by Sonia Rolley and Erikas Mwisi Kambale; Editing by Sofia Christensen and Andy Sullivan)