Written by Lisa Murimi
UN aid agencies have sounded the alarm over a worsening humanitarian crisis in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as M23 rebels continue their offensive to seize control of the city.Â
Hospitals are overwhelmed, and bodies lie uncollected on the streets.
Thousands have fled active conflict zones, while looting of warehouses belonging to the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has compounded the crisis.
“Hospitals are overwhelmed, with hundreds admitted for gunshot wounds,” said WHO emergency coordinator Adelheid Marschang.
The ICRC reported that over 100 wounded were admitted within 24 hours, forcing the conversion of a hospital car park into a triage unit.
Heavy artillery fire in densely populated areas has caused severe injuries, particularly among children.
South Africa, Malawi, and Uruguay have all suffered peacekeeper casualties, with South Africa losing four more soldiers this week, bringing its toll to 13.
DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi is pursuing diplomatic solutions, with planned peace talks involving Kenya’s President William Ruto and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.
Meanwhile, the African Union is set to convene an emergency meeting to address the crisis. Calls for peace are mounting as the region faces its worst violence in years.
