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AUC's Faki condemns bomb attack on Goma IDP camp

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By Mwangi Maina | 06 May 2024

At least nine people, including seven children, were killed in the Friday, May 3, strike.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has condemned the tragic bombing of displaced persons camps in Lac-Vert and Mugunga, located in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, his statement notably refrained from explicitly mentioning the alleged involvement of the M23 rebel group and Rwanda, contrary to the United States.

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At least nine people, including seven children, were killed in the Friday, May 3, strike, according to a local official and a Congo military spokesman

"The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, condemns in the strongest terms the murderous bombardment of the camps of the internally displaced persons in Lac-Vert and Mugunga, resulting in the death of and serious injury to people, including women and children, on the outskirts of Goma, in the Province of North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo," read an African Union Commission statement released today.

Faki further expressed condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the tragic incident.

In his statement, he also condemned the ongoing escalation of violence in all its forms in the Eastern DRC, emphasising that such actions defy the objectives outlined in the conclusions of the Luanda Ministerial Meeting held on March 21, 2024. The meeting agitated for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.

A refugee camp near the eastern DR Congo city of Goma. (Photo: Alexis Huguet/AFP)

"The chairman of the African Union Commission greatly deplores the continuing escalation of violence in all its forms in the Eastern DRC," AUC stated, adding that he reiterated the continental body's position, which is "in favour of a comprehensive political solution to the challenges of peace and security in the region."

Meanwhile, the US through its Department of State, accused Rwanda and M23 rebels of the attack. However, Rwanda refuted the allegations, urging for a credible investigation and verification to establish how the incident unfolded.

"The attempt by the US Department of State, in its statement of May 4, 2024, to immediately and without any investigation place blame on Rwanda for the loss of lives in the IDP camps is unjustified. Rwanda will not shoulder responsibility for the bombing of the IDP camps around Goma or the security and governance failures of the government of the DRC."

"The scapegoating of Rwanda by the US government for the shortcomings and wrongdoing of the DRC has become a pattern and is predictable. The position taken by the US government raises serious questions about its credibility as a facilitator in the region and undermines its ability to play a constructive role towards a peaceful solution," Rwanda responded yesterday.