Bertrand Bisimwa, the deputy coordinator of AFC/M23 movement, has condemned the reported bombing of Hôpital Général de Minembwe in South Kivu province by coalition forces aligned with Kinshasa.
Bisimwa noted that the attack is a war crime and a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
ALSO READ: DR Congo: Lawyers prepare ICC cases over atrocities in Minembwe
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka had reported that combat drones struck the hospital on Wednesday, June 24, including its pediatric ward.
According to Kanyuka, the attack occurred at around 2 p.m. as coalition forces continued what he described as an indiscriminate bombing campaign against Minembwe and surrounding areas.
The coalition fighting alongside Kinshasa includes the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), Burundian troops, the FDLR and Wazalendo militias, foreign mercenaries and other local militias.
ALSO READ: Banyamulenge take Burundi govt to court over abuses in Minembwe
Reacting to the reported strike, Bisimwa said attacks on hospitals are among the clearest breaches of the laws governing armed conflict.
"Bombing a hospital during wartime is a war crime," he wrote in a post on X on Wednesday.
He noted that the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols require hospitals, ambulances, medical personnel and wounded civilians to be respected and protected under all circumstances.
ALSO READ: DR Congo crisis: Bisimwa criticises mediators for 'babysitting' Kinshasa
Bisimwa also cited Article 8 of the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC) and was ratified by DR Congo, noting that intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are gathered constitutes a war crime.
"The principle of distinction requires belligerents to always differentiate between civilians and combatants and between civilian property and military objectives. A hospital is protected civilian property," he said.
"The gravity of bombing such a protected site lies in the fact that hospitals shelter people already out of combat: the wounded, the sick, children, women, doctors."
Bisimwa further warned that the consequences extend beyond the immediate casualties.
"Destroying a hospital has a multiplier effect, it means killing directly and also condemning all future wounded and sick for lack of care. The impact lasts for years."
ALSO READ: Congolese lawyer questions mediators' silence amid attacks against Banyamulenge
He accused the Congolese government of targeting its own citizens.
"Through these bombings, the current Congolese regime behaves like a barbarian against its own population it claims to protect. It will have to answer for this."
ALSO READ: Bisimwa condemns 'indifference' of mediators amid Kinshasa's attacks
The reported attack comes as diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict in eastern DR Congo continue to face challenges.
While Doha-facilitated negotiations between AFC/M23 and the Congolese government have provided a platform for dialogue, the talks have yet to produce a peace agreement, and military operations have continued on the ground.
AFC/M23 has repeatedly accused Kinshasa and its allies of pursuing military offensives despite ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Kanyuka said bombardments had been ongoing since Tuesday, June 23, and had already caused civilian casualties, including women and children.
ALSO READ: Banyamulenge protest in US, Kenya amid rising calls for action on Minembwe crisis
Benjamin Mbonimpa, the AFC/M23's permanent secretary and a the movement key negotiator in the Qatar-mediated talks, also condemned the reported bombing, warning that the government's violations might go uncondemned.
"A non-military target: a war crime acknowledged and passed over in silence, allowing the Kinshasa regime to kill babies, children, their mothers, as well as the sick in hospitals, and to bomb other sensitive places," Mbonimpa wrote.
"All of this has one name, it's the unconditional support of the Powerful."
