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.