A staff member of Doctors Without Borders charity (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) was killed on Saturday after an attack on an organisation's base in Masisi, eastern Congo.
The international aid group reported that the incident occurred amid ongoing military Congolese conflict with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
Jerry Muhindo Kavali, aged 49, was injured on Thursday and succumbed to his injuries from a gunshot wound at a hospital in Goma.
MSF expressed profound grief and frustration, stating, “His tragic death comes at a time of heightened violence that affects healthcare and humanitarian services in eastern DRC. We strongly condemn the lack of respect for humanitarian activities, which led to Jerry’s death, as well as the numerous attacks on our medical and humanitarian efforts that we are witnessing in many places.”
Since the beginning of January, near-daily clashes have taken place in and around Masisi, North Kivu province, between fighters from the Congolese army-allied VDP/Wazalendo paramilitary and M23 rebels.
Supported by the Rwandan army, the M23 rebel group (Mouvement 23 Mars) has captured significant parts of mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since November 2021.
MSF emphasised that even wars have rules. Group's hospital and base in Masisi are filled with families seeking refuge from the violence, including patients, many of whom are women and children wounded by recent gunfire, the organisation reported.
