The United Nations has issued an urgent warning over the next 24 hours in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as fighting between the national army and M23 rebels intensifies.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, condemned widespread human rights violations, attacks on displaced persons, and the growing wave of ethnic violence. Reports indicate that Goma’s hospitals are overwhelmed, corpses lie in the streets, and the city’s infrastructure has collapsed, with power, water, and internet services cut off.

Adding to the crisis, nearly 4,800 prisoners escaped from Goma’s main prison amid the deteriorating security situation. The UN also raised alarms over the rise in sexual violence and attacks on healthcare workers, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe.

Meanwhile, protests erupted in Kinshasa as citizens demanded urgent action to address the escalating violence in the eastern region. The international community is closely monitoring the unfolding crisis, with calls for immediate intervention to prevent further loss of life.