Families search for loved ones amid M23 Rebel offensive

Outside the morgue at Goma’s North Kivu Hospital on Monday, Red Cross workers piled bodies into a large truck.

One week ago, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claimed control of the strategic eastern Congolese city after capturing several surrounding towns in January.

Authorities confirmed 773 bodies and 2,880 injured people in Goma’s morgues and hospitals. Outside the morgue, Chiza Nyenyezi cried as she looked at a photo of her son who was killed. She is unable to find his body.

“A soldier came from behind him. A member of the Congolese army-allied militia shot him in the back, it went out of his chest. The child fell off the motorcycle. The bullet passed through and hit another person behind him. The bullet entered and exited through the chest. His entire chest was open,” said Chiza.

M23, backed by 4,000 Rwandan troops, is stronger than in 2012 when they were eventually pushed out of DRC.

But analysts say pushing them back this time will be more difficult.