Hundreds of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are living with amputations after renewed clashes between government forces and M23 rebels. The violence, concentrated around the mineral-rich North Kivu province, has intensified since M23—allegedly backed by Rwanda—captured Goma and Bukavu earlier this year. Survivors like 25-year-old David Muhire, who lost limbs in a landmine explosion, symbolize the growing humanitarian toll of the conflict.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), more than 800 people injured by weapons, mines, and unexploded ordnance have received treatment in 2025, with over 400 currently rehabilitating at Goma’s Shirika la Umoja center. Despite a U.S.-brokered peace deal signed in Washington on December 4 between Rwanda and the DRC, fighting resumed within days as M23 launched new offensives near the Burundian border.

Aid agencies warn that prolonged warfare is worsening the humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands disabled and dependent on limited medical and prosthetic support. The ICRC continues to call for sustained peace and protection for civilians in the region.

At least 30 people, including patients, were killed when Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels attacked a health center and several villages in the Lubero region of North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Local officials reported that 23 bodies were recovered from the Baimbwe health center, among them 11 women. The attackers also burned down parts of the health facility and several nearby houses. Colonel Alain Kiwewa, the local administrator, condemned the assault as a crime against humanity and urged residents to support joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces aimed at eliminating the ADF. The group, which has links to ISIS, has been active in eastern Congo for years. A similar attack in October in the same region left around 20 people dead. Since 2021, Congo and Uganda have been conducting joint operations against the ADF, which continues to target civilians despite ongoing military efforts.

At least 32 people were killed when a temporary bridge collapsed at a copper and cobalt mine in the Lualaba province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The incident occurred at the Kalando mine, where workers reportedly ignored a ban on entry due to heavy rains and landslide risks. The collapse happened as a large group of miners rushed across the makeshift bridge, which gave way under their weight. Conflicting reports suggest the death toll may exceed 40. Witnesses said panic erupted after gunfire was heard, allegedly from soldiers at the site. The mine has long been a source of tension between informal miners, a local cooperative, and the legal operators. Authorities have suspended all operations at the site, while human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the army’s alleged involvement. The provincial government has yet to release a final casualty figure.

At least 193 people have died following two separate boat sinkings in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and several others are missing, authorities reported. The incidents occurred on Wednesday and Thursday roughly 150 km apart in Équateur province.

Officials said a wooden passenger boat overturned after catching fire near the village of Malange, close to Lukolela, on Thursday evening; that accident killed 107 people and rescued 209 others, with 146 still reported missing. A day earlier, a motorized boat capsized in the Basankusu area, killing at least 86 people, most of them students.

At least 148 people have died and many remain missing after a fire engulfed a passenger boat on the Congo River. According to Josephine-Pacifique Lokumu, head of a local delegation, the boat—constructed from wood—was carrying several hundred passengers. The fire is believed to have been started by cooking activities on board. Some passengers have been rescued, but search and recovery operations are still ongoing.

At least 25 people have died, and several others remain missing after a boat capsized in the Kwo River near Mai-Ndombe province in western Congo. The vessel was carrying football players from Nagambomi village, returning from a match in Mushie town. The boat sank 12 kilometers after leaving Mushie port late at night. While 30 survivors have been rescued, authorities fear that the death toll may rise as rescue operations continue.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, clashes with the M23 rebel group have claimed the lives of 13 UN peacekeepers, including nine South Africans, three Malawians, and one Uruguayan. The soldiers were killed while countering the rebels’ advance in Goma, a city of over one million people. French President Emmanuel Macron has urged for peace and engaged in talks with the leaders of Congo and Rwanda. The UN is evacuating non-essential personnel as the M23 rebels call for Congolese soldiers’ surrender to prevent further bloodshed.