Three people, including a French aid worker for the UN children's agency Unicef, have been killed in a drone attack in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the M23 rebel group. The strike occurred at around 4am on Wednesday in the upmarket Himbi neighbourhood of the city, which has been under M23 control since January 2025.
Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the Congo River Alliance rebel group that includes M23, condemned the attack and accused the DRC government of being behind it. He described it as an “intolerable provocation” targeting a densely populated urban area. The government has not commented on the attack, and no group has claimed responsibility.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the death of the Unicef worker, identified as Karine Buisset, and called for respect for humanitarian law. Unicef expressed devastation and outrage, stating that “courageous humanitarian workers must always be protected.” Images on social media showed firefighters tackling a blaze on the upper floor of a damaged two-storey house.
The drone strike marks a shift in the conflict, with increased use of drone warfare by both sides. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project recorded 31 drone and airstrikes in the DRC last month, the highest monthly figure. Two weeks ago, an army drone attack in Rubaya killed M23's military spokesperson, Willy Ngoma.
Goma, capital of North Kivu province, was the scene of deadly fighting in January 2025 when M23 rebels seized the city, with up to 2,000 people killed. The Rwanda-backed M23 is one of over 100 armed groups active in the mineral-rich eastern DRC, and it occupies large areas where it has established parallel governments.
