Military sources reported that the death toll from the army's response to anti-UN protests in eastern Congo on Wednesday has reached at least 40 people, contrary to previous reports of only 7 fatalities. The Congolese army forcibly dispersed a protest in the city of Goma against the United Nations peacekeeping mission, known as "MONUSCO," and other foreign organizations following the circulation of videos showing an attack on a police officer on social media. Authorities stated that the officer was stoned to death and that six protesters were killed during the army's intervention. However, two unnamed army officers revealed that hospitals received dozens of wounded individuals since the protest, estimating the death toll to be over 40.
A UN source indicated that an investigation is underway into "credible" claims of more than fifty fatalities after the soldiers confronted protesters who had gathered in a church before the demonstration. The army spokesperson denied these reports, asserting that the death toll remains at seven. Unverified footage has circulated on social media showing soldiers loading bodies into a truck that moved in a convoy through Goma. Anne-Sylvie Linder, head of the local branch of the International Red Cross, noted that her clinic received a large number of seriously injured individuals due to stabbings and gunfire following the protest. She added, "Some died upon arrival," without providing a specific number.
The peacekeeping mission has faced protests since 2022, with complaints regarding its failure to protect civilians from decades-long militia violence. An anti-"MONUSCO" protest in July 2022 resulted in the deaths of more than 15 people, including three peacekeepers in Goma and the city of Butembo.
