Patients in hospitals in the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have described sustaining severe injuries during the chaotic withdrawal of the Congolese army and its allies before Rwanda-backed M23 rebels arrived. The arrival of the rebels in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, was preceded by widespread shooting and looting, overwhelming the city’s under-resourced hospitals.

Priscilla Nabintu, a 22-year-old patient, recounted being hit by a bullet in her shin while lying at home. Mugisho Shalukoma, 20, is recovering from a leg amputation after being shot. Ghislaine Ntakwinja, 41, was shot in her right hand by unidentified gunmen.

As M23 closed in on Bukavu, reports emerged of people collecting weapons left behind by retreating Congolese forces. A human rights activist with the Ça Suffit group said weapons were freely circulating, including among children, causing chaos.

Last week, the UN human rights office accused M23 rebels of killing three children in Bukavu who were carrying weapons. M23 denied the accusation, calling it propaganda. Esperance Mwamini Birindwa, a nurse at the general hospital run by the International Committee of the Red Cross, said 162 people were admitted with M23-related injuries between February 14 and 24, with three dying from gunshot and shrapnel injuries.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is struggling to provide care due to supply challenges caused by the conflict. The fighting has also disrupted transport routes, hindering evacuation efforts.

Other hospitals in Bukavu have been overwhelmed by the influx of injured people, with one receiving 42 patients with gunshot and shrapnel wounds. Médecins Sans Frontières is supporting some hospitals in the city but has called on conflicting parties to ensure the protection of civilians and medical facilities.

M23, an ethnic Tutsi-led group, has made rapid advances this year, raising fears of a regional war. Rwanda backs M23, claiming its primary interest is to target fighters linked to the 1994 genocide, while the Congolese government and UN reports say Rwanda is using the group to extract and export valuable minerals.

The situation in Bukavu remains volatile, with at least 13 people killed and dozens injured in explosions during an M23 rally last Thursday. International sanctions, criminal investigations, and peace negotiations have failed to stop the rebel advance.

Since January, 7,000 people have been killed and nearly half a million are without shelter due to the fighting in eastern Congo. The UN

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/02/bukavu-hospital-patients-tell-of-being-shot-congolese-withdrawal