On March 9, Walungu Hospital in South Kivu (DRC) was hit by rocket fire and bullets. Five people were injured, one seriously, and there was significant material damage. This tragedy has occurred against a backdrop of growing tensions, with the M23 rebel group controlling part of the province since its armed offensive at the end of January. The civilian population is paying a heavy price.

Walungu is a territory located in the east of South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On March 9, its General Hospital, one of our long-standing partners, came under numerous bullets and rocket fire. Five people, patients and members of the medical staff, were injured, one of them severely. The building, which fortunately protected the majority of the civilians inside, suffered extensive damage. 

This attack, the causes of which remain unclear, reflects the dramatic nature of this conflict in which anything seems to be permitted. 

Partial control of the Province

The rebel group M23 launched an armed invasion of eastern DRC at the end of January 2025. It currently controls four of the eight territories of South Kivu: Kalehe, Kabare, Idjwi and Walungu, as well as the city of Bukavu. In these areas, a form of guerrilla warfare by the Wazalendo self-defense groups can be observed in an attempt to destabilize the new power in place. “This creates a situation of stress and permanent psychosis for the population, who wake up every night. Sometimes there is a lull, sometimes traffic and activities come to a standstill because a particular area is under attack," says one witness. 

The territories of Uvira, Mwenga, Fizi and Shabunda, as well as the cities of Uvira and Kamituga, remain under the control of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Wazalendo self-defense groups. 

The police and the justice system have not been re-established, leaving the way open for numerous crimes. "Many cases of armed robbery, rape, killings and mob justice are taking place in almost all the city's neighborhoods, especially at night,” reports a witness. The last public rally of the AFC-M23 movement, on February 28, also ended with a grenade exploding in the middle of the crowd, causing around ten deaths and several injuries among the civilian population.

The population is also suffering from hunger because the price of food has skyrocketed and many people are no longer receiving their salaries because the banks are no longer in service. 

Supporting the population in the aftermath 

Some exiled families have returned home and are already working their land, for fear of missing the bean planting season, which would leave them hungry. We are therefore standing by their side and trying to adapt our support to the situation to limit security and food risks. In Bukavu, we have also resumed our actions with entrepreneurs because, in this context, no one can run the risk of falling into extreme poverty. 

We continue to support the health centers, our partners, who take in the injured and displaced. They need tents, beds, mattresses, basic medicines, healthcare equipment, psychosocial support and nutritional kits for children.

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Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.