Gunfire and explosions erupted during a rally organized by rebel leaders in a city recently seized in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Footage depicts chaotic scenes with bodies lying in the streets as attendees fled the event in Bukavu, the region’s second-largest city, in a state of panic.
While casualty numbers remain uncertain, the AFP news agency has reported that a hospital source indicated at least 11 fatalities and 60 injuries.
This rally marked the first public gathering held by the Rwanda-supported rebels in Bukavu since they captured the city from government forces earlier this month, following a swift offensive in the area.
The rebels have accused President Felix Tshisekedi’s administration of orchestrating the violence, while Tshisekedi attributed the incident to “a foreign army” operating in the eastern region.
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the coalition of rebel groups that includes the Rwanda-backed M23, had addressed the crowd earlier, assuring them that the rebels would restore safety and security to the city.
He stated, “Special units and patrols will be established across all communes,” as reported by Reuters.
It is believed that both Nangaa and Bertrand Bisimwa of M23 had departed the scene before the attack occurred at Bukavu’s main square.
In a subsequent statement, Nangaa confirmed that two individuals had been detained in connection with the incident, and efforts were underway to locate additional suspects.
“This cowardly and barbaric act will not go unpunished,” he asserted.
Since January, the rebels have been making significant territorial gains in eastern DR Congo, capturing both Bukavu and Goma, the largest city in the region.
The ongoing conflict has displaced approximately 500,000 individuals, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian situation, according to the United Nations.
Both the African Union and the UN have urged for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of rebels from the territories they currently occupy.
Rwanda previously refuted allegations of supporting the M23 group; however, it has recently shifted to a more defensive stance, asserting that the conflict occurring near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo poses a security risk.
United Nations experts have previously assessed that there are approximately 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers stationed in eastern DR Congo.
