Drone Strike Kills UN Aid Staff in DR Congo's Rebel Held Zone Goma

A drone strike on a residential building in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has killed a French aid worker employed by UNICEF and two civilians, intensifying tensions in a region already destabilized by the advance of Rwanda-linked M23 rebels.

The strike occurred in the early hours of Wednesday in the center of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, which has been under the control of the M23 rebel movement since January 2025.

The victims included Karine Buisset, a French humanitarian worker serving with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The attack was confirmed by both the United Nations and French President Emmanuel Macron.

“A French humanitarian from UNICEF has been killed in Goma … I call for respect for humanitarian law and for the personnel who are on the ground and who are committed to saving lives,” Macron wrote on social media.

According to Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the M23 rebel group, a “combat drone” struck a residential building in central Goma, killing three people.

Kanyuka blamed the attack on the Congolese government, describing it as an assault on international facilities in the rebel-held city. “This morning, the city of Goma was struck by a drone-led terrorist attack targeting the United Nations and the European Union,” Kanyuka said.

He added that the strike endangered civilians in a densely populated urban area.

Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed a damaged house with part of the roof destroyed, while smoke rose from the structure. An aid worker who was near the building said he heard the sound of a drone before a large explosion created a “hole in the roof.”

Residents reported that several locations across Goma may have been struck during the incident.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo government said it was aware of the explosions that occurred in Goma on March 11, 2026, which caused casualties and significant damage. Authorities expressed deep sadness over the deaths, including that of French UNICEF worker Karine Buisset, and extended condolences to her family, the French government, and the humanitarian community.

Kinshasa said investigations are underway to determine the exact circumstances and origin of the explosions in areas currently under rebel control. The government reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law, stressing the importance of protecting civilians and humanitarian personnel, and blamed the violence on Rwanda and its allied AFC/M23 forces, calling for their withdrawal from Congolese territory.

The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for the DRC, Bruno Lemarquis, confirmed that two civilians and one UN staff member were killed and that nearby homes were damaged. He condemned the escalation of violence in the region.

UNICEF said the organization was “devastated and outraged” by the loss of its colleague. Executive Director Catherine Russell said Buisset had worked extensively to assist families and children affected by conflict. “Civilians, including aid workers, must never be targeted,” Russell said.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric condemned the killing, adding that the United Nations, together with UNICEF, extends its “deepest condolences to her family, her friends and her colleagues.”

Dujarric stressed that humanitarian workers must be protected under international law and must never be a target.

The incident comes amid growing military tensions across eastern Congo. The M23 movement resumed its insurgency in 2021, capturing large territories across the mineral-rich region. In January 2025, the group seized Goma, one of the most strategically important cities in eastern Congo. The city serves as a major commercial hub and gateway to the region’s North Kivu province.

The latest strike follows renewed accusations between regional actors.

A day earlier, the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) said they shot down two drones belonging to Rwandan forces and their allies after they allegedly entered Congolese airspace in South Kivu province. The military said the drones were intercepted in Mikenge near Minembwe, describing the incident as a violation of national sovereignty and of the Washington Accord.