At least three people, including a French national, have died in drone strikes in the city of Goma

A French national working for the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Karine Buisset, was killed in a drone strike in the city of Goma on Wednesday, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) confirmed the same day.

Officials expressed condolences in connection with the death of at least three people, including Buisset.

The government "extends its sincere condolences to her family, loved ones, the Government of the French Republic, and the entire humanitarian community," the Ministry of Communication and Media of the DR Congo said in a communique.

The city of Goma has been under the control of the M23 rebel group since early 2025, when the movement seized the regional capital amid a broader offensive in North Kivu province. In its statement on the drone strikes, M23 said the attack was carried out by the Congolese Army, accusing government forces of targeting densely populated areas of the rebel-held city, a claim Kinshasa has denied.

The explosions, which occurred at dawn, also caused "significant material damage," according to the official statement. The authorities said the circumstances and origin of the blasts, particularly in areas occupied by armed groups, are under investigation.

Kinshasa stressed that ensuring the safety of humanitarian workers depends on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops and M23 fighters from Congolese territory, and on restoring full state authority across the country. 

The African state continues to grapple with instability as the M23 rebel group maintains control over parts of the region, fueling ongoing clashes and humanitarian crises.

In February, the authorities in eastern DR Congo discovered mass graves with at least 172 bodies near the city of Uvira following the withdrawal of the M23 rebel group, which briefly occupied the area in late 2025. The discovery comes days after M23 military spokesman Willy Ngoma was killed in a drone strike reportedly carried out by the Congolese Army in neighboring North Kivu.

READ MORE: Mass graves discovered in DR Congo - media

The UN says the conflict in eastern Congo has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, displacing millions.