The Daily Mirror News

GOMA, North Kivu — A grim discovery has shocked residents of Goma after the bodies of around ten young men were found inside an unfinished house in the Kayoyi neighborhood of Karisimbi commune.

According to testimonies from local residents, the tragedy allegedly followed a security operation conducted during the night of Friday to Saturday, March 14, 2026, by fighters of the March 23 Movement, reportedly supported by the Rwanda Defence Force.

Witnesses say heavily armed men surrounded the neighborhood before carrying out house-to-house searches throughout the night.

Residents claim several young men were executed during the operation. Reports circulating among residents also mention alleged cases of sexual violence against young girls.

Messages shared in local WhatsApp groups describe widespread panic and fear in the neighborhood.

Local community members are calling on the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to urgently intervene to protect civilians.

Several civil society actors are also demanding an independent investigation to determine responsibility for what could represent another tragic episode in the conflict affecting eastern Congo.

However, another independent source suggests similar events may have occurred earlier, in February 2025, when the March 23 Movement previously controlled parts of the city.

Authorities have not yet issued an official confirmation regarding the incident.