More than 4,400 inmates escaped from Munzenze Central Prison in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in eastern DR Congo, on Monday, January 27, after M23 rebel group captured the city.
Local media reports said the inmates fled after parts of the facility were set on fire.
ALSO READ: Dozens of Congolese soldiers flee to Rwanda
At least ten inmates lost their lives in the blaze, including women and an infant who was with an incarcerated mother, Radio Okapi reported.
Video footage showed inmates running away as smoke emanated from some of the prison buildings.
A #Goma, environ 4 400 détenus ont profité de la situation sécuritaire confuse et se sont évadés de la prison centrale de Munzenze, confirment des sources pénitentiaires ce matin. Ces détenus ont incendié une partie de la prison. Bilan : au moins décès, dont des femmes.... pic.twitter.com/G8l9nFmIES-- Radio Okapi (@radiookapi) January 27, 2025
The M23 rebels announced their takeover of Goma at 2 a.m. on January 27, following intense fighting with the coalition of the Congolese army (FARDC), FDLR genocidal militia, local groups known as Wazalendo, Burundian forces and Southern African troops and European mercenaries.
The capture of Goma marked the major escalation of the war that has been ongoing since late 2021. Heavy artillery could still be heard in Goma and its outskirts on Monday afternoon.
The conflict in eastern DR Congo escalated this week after the rebels captured territories around Goma, followed by the killing of North Kivu military governor Maj Gen Peter Cirimwami on Thursday.
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The situation in Goma has garnered significant regional and international attention.
Kenyan President William Ruto has called for an immediate ceasefire and called an extraordinary East African Community (EAC) summit to address the escalating crisis.
ALSO READ: Kinshasa could have avoided current crisis, says Rwanda envoy
The M23 rebels closed Goma's airspace and suspended activities on Lake Kivu on Sunday.
The M23 insurgency has been ongoing since late 2021 and has exacerbated tensions between Rwanda and the DR Congo.
Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the rebel group, an allegation Rwanda denies. Rwanda expresses concerns over the Congolese army's collaboration with the FDLR, a UN-designated terrorist group comprised of perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
ALSO READ: Ruto to convene EAC leaders after M23 rebels surround Goma
Amid the heightened tensions, DR Congo announced the closure of its embassy in Kigali on January 24.
As the crisis unfolded on Sunday night, members of the Congolese armed forces surrendered to the rebels, handing over their weapons to MONUSCO, the UN mission in DR Congo.
Dozens of armed Congolese soldiers fled to Rwanda on Monday, seeking refuge. The soldiers, who crossed into Rwanda through the Grande Barriere border post in Rubavu District, were subsequently disarmed.
