M23 Rebels Bury 22 Victims of Eastern DRC Drone Strike

On Thursday, January 8, 2026, the M23 rebel group held a somber symbolic funeral for 22 civilians killed in a recent drone strike. The ceremony took place in the North Kivu province of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a region currently gripped by ongoing warfare and mass displacement.

A Community in Mourning

During the event, 22 coffins were displayed before grieving families and residents of Goma. The atmosphere was heavy with emotion as women wept and shouted in grief over the loss of their loved ones.

The tragedy has left deep scars on the local community. Mireille Kasole, who lost her younger sister in the attack, shared her heartbreak:

“We lost comrades, friends, and loved ones. My little sister died too; she had gone to Masisi to work, and then she died there.”

Allegations and Political Tension

The M23 group, which receives backing from Rwanda and has occupied large territories in eastern Congo for over a year, has officially blamed the Congolese government for the strike.

Corneille Nangaa, a coordinator for M23, leveled harsh accusations against the current administration during the ceremony. He claimed that President Félix Tshisekedi and his “tribal regime” are responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians. Nangaa argued that the government carried out the strike without distinguishing between combatants and the public.

Conversely, the Congolese government has remained silent. To date, officials in Kinshasa have neither acknowledged nor denied responsibility for the drone operation.

A Growing Humanitarian Crisis

The conflict in eastern Congo remains one of the most volatile in the world. Several factors contribute to the ongoing instability:

• Mineral Wealth: Over 100 armed groups are currently fighting for control of the mineral-rich border regions near Rwanda.
• Mass Displacement: According to U.S. and U.N. data, the violence has displaced more than 7 million people, creating a massive humanitarian emergency.
• Failed Agreements: Despite the Washington agreement and ongoing diplomatic efforts in Doha, fighting continues on multiple fronts.

Current State of the Conflict

While international peace processes continue, the reality on the ground remains grim. The clash between M23 and government forces frequently results in heavy military and civilian casualties. As long as the fighting persists, families in the eastern DRC continue to pay the highest price for the regional struggle for power.