A French humanitarian working for the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) has been killed in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed Wednesday, urging respect for international humanitarian law.
“A French humanitarian from UNICEF has lost her life in Goma,” Macron wrote on X. “I call for respect for humanitarian law and for all personnel on the ground committed to saving lives.”
Goma, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu province, has been under the control of M23 rebels – backed by Rwanda – since they seized the city from government forces in January 2025. The group, which resumed armed operations in 2021, has captured large portions of eastern Congo, a mineral-rich region long marked by recurring conflict.
M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said a drone strike early Wednesday targeted a residential building in central Goma, where Karine Buisset, a French national and UNICEF employee, was staying.
Local residents and humanitarian sources reported that multiple sites in the city were struck, raising concerns over additional casualties. Video footage verified by international media showed a building with a damaged roof and smoke rising from the site. Witnesses described hearing the drone’s approach followed by a powerful explosion that blew a hole in the roof.
The United Nations has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.
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