In Bukavu, a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the chaotic retreat of the Congolese army preceded the arrival of M23 rebels, resulting in widespread violence, including shooting and looting. Hospitals were overwhelmed with injuries, particularly gunshot wounds, as civilians like Priscilla Nabintu shared harrowing stories of being shot in their homes. Human rights activists reported a concerning proliferation of weapons, including among children, further escalating the violence. The M23 rebels faced accusations from the UN of killing children for refusing to surrender weapons, though they denied these allegations, claiming them to be government propaganda.
I was lying on my bed at home, near Katana, said 22-year-old Priscilla Nabintu from her bed in Bukavu's general hospital. All of a sudden, a bullet hit me [in the shin] and I started bleeding.
As M23 closed in on Bukavu, reports emerged of people collecting weapons and military equipment left by retreating Congolese forces. Deogracias Chibambo, a human rights activist, said weapons had been circulating freely, including among children.
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