Mass burials in Goma as families demand peace amid conflict

Red Cross workers in Goma continued mass burials on Tuesday, a week after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized control of the city. The Congolese interior minister, Jacquemin Shabani, stated that 2,000 bodies had been buried, while the WHO revised the official death toll to at least 900, excluding those still in morgues.

Families of the victims expressed deep grief and urged authorities to restore peace.

"We lost three people—some from a bomb, another was shot. We are devastated," said Debors Zuzu, a grieving family member. "We have lived in fear for too long. If everyone dies, who will the leaders govern?"

At the ITIG cemetery, Elisha Dunia, who lost a child in the violence, called on the government to act. "We are heartbroken. We ask the president and our deputies to get involved in restoring peace in Goma."

The M23 rebel group, backed by an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops, has intensified its grip on eastern Congo, a region rich in minerals essential for global technology. This latest escalation has displaced hundreds of thousands, with many fleeing into Rwanda.

Last week, M23 announced plans to establish an administration in Goma, urging residents to resume normal life. On Monday, they declared a unilateral ceasefire, effective Tuesday, citing humanitarian concerns. However, uncertainty looms as the conflict-ravaged city mourns its dead and grapples with ongoing instability.