Goma in crisis: Rising death toll as M23 battles Congolese army

It is still unclear how many people have died in the ongoing conflict pitting the M23 and the Congolese army.

Bodies of soldiers could be seen lying on the streets Thursday.

The residents of Goma witnessed hundreds of bodies mainly of soldiers lying in the streets with hospitals overrun with those injured during the conflict.

“I saw bodies stacked like the bags of WFP (World Food Programme) rice. At the hospital, they were arranged like stairs. They would remove them, body by body, and then you can come and look. We had a hard time watching. The courtyard of the general hospital was full,” said Louise Shalukoma, a Goma resident.

Many homes were hit by shelling as the conflict that has been raging for decades arrived at the city’s doorstep Sunday. Several families left their homes as some sustained serious damages.

“On Monday we were in the house hiding. We heard a bomb falling, and it destroyed here and there, and in front there. It damaged the television, too. We don’t know if they came from Rwanda or DRC, because we are here on the border between DRC and Rwanda,” said Robert Bitwaik, a Goma resident.

M23 leaders said in a news conference Thursday that they were asking civilians to return to normal life, and said they would be setting up an administration to govern the city.

M23 leaders said in a news conference Thursday that they were asking civilians to return to normal life, and said they would be setting up an administration to govern the city.

Meanwhile, Congo’s president called for a massive military mobilization to resist the rebellion and his defense minister rejected calls for talks.