DRC Denies Bombing in Goma City Where UNICEF Staffer Was Killed

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has denied accusations that it was behind Wednesday morning’s drone strike in Goma, North Kivu Province, which killed Carine Buisset, a French national and staff member of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), along with three other civilians.

Buisset was killed in the early hours of Wednesday at around 4:00 a.m. when two drones struck the Himbi area near Lake Kivu. The neighbourhood is known to host several leaders of the March 23 Movement / Alliance Fleuve Congo (M23/AFC) rebels, including Bertrand Bisimwa, Corneille Nangaa, and former Congolese president Joseph Kabila.

During the strike, an apartment where Buisset was sleeping was hit. The apartment had been rented by Christine Guinot, the head of security for UNICEF in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was not present at the time. Buisset and two other people were killed in the attack. Another apartment rented by a Belgian national identified only as Pascal, the manager of the Toyota dealership in Goma, was also destroyed. The residence is located only a few metres from the family home of former president Joseph Kabila.

Shortly after the incident, M23/AFC leaders Lawrence Kanyuka and Bertrand Bisimwa released statements accusing the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and its coalition partners of carrying out the drone strikes. International leaders and humanitarian organisations also condemned the attack. Among them were Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Bruno Lemarquis of the United Nations; and the humanitarian group Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). They emphasised that humanitarian workers must never be targeted in conflict.

Later on Wednesday night, Patrick Muyaya, government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, issued a statement denying government involvement in the incident. “The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has taken note of the explosions that occurred at dawn on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in the city of Goma, which resulted in loss of human lives as well as significant material damage,” the statement reads in part.

The government expressed condolences over the deaths, including that of Buisset, and reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel. Muyaya said authorities are closely monitoring the situation and that investigations are underway to determine the exact circumstances of the explosions and their origin.

“The Government reaffirms its commitment to respecting international humanitarian law, particularly about the protection of civilian populations and humanitarian personnel operating throughout the national territory, including areas under occupation; and it will not undertake any action that contradicts the values it has always defended,” the statement adds.

The government also argued that the protection of civilians requires the withdrawal of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) troops and their AFC/M23 allies from areas of Congolese territory they allegedly occupy. Investigators from the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) have also reached the scene to carry out independent investigations.

The drone strike in Goma — a city under the control of M23/AFC rebels since late January 2025 — could further escalate tensions in eastern Congo and complicate ongoing peace efforts. The FARDC and its coalition partners have, in recent months, intensified the use of drones to target M23/AFC positions. In February 2026, a similar strike in Rubaya, Masisi Territory, reportedly killed the rebels’ military spokesperson, Willy Ngoma.

The bombing comes amid continued clashes along the front lines. On Tuesday, fighting between FARDC and its allied forces and M23/AFC rebels was reported in Mukole in Walikale Territory, North Kivu Province. On the same day, FARDC said it had shot down two drones belonging to the Rwanda Defence Force and its allies in Minembwe, South Kivu Province, accusing them of violating Congolese airspace.

Since its resurgence in 2022 under the leadership of Bertrand Bisimwa and General Sultan Makenga, the M23/AFC rebel movement has repeatedly traded accusations with the Congolese government over ceasefire violations. The Congolese government has long accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, allegations that have been denied by both Kigali and the rebel group.The M23 movement says its objective is to fight corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination within the country’s political leadership. In early 2025, the group launched a rapid offensive across eastern Congo, capturing several key towns and raising fears of a broader regional conflict.