Nearly 50 young people reported missing after AFC/M23 detentions in Goma

Dozens of young people have disappeared following a security operation conducted by the AFC/M23 in Goma, North Kivu, sparking alarm among local communities and human rights advocates. Nearly 50 individuals, several of whom are minors, remain unaccounted for after the AFC/M23 reportedly carried out a cordon and search operation in neighborhoods near the Katindo military camp on the night of July 6-7.

Testimonies from relatives indicate that the young people were apprehended on Salongo 3 and Katoyi 1 avenues in the Mabanga-Nord and Kasika neighborhoods. They were allegedly gathered at the Katindo military camp stadium before being transported in trucks to an undisclosed destination. Since their detention, no official information has been released regarding their whereabouts or the reasons for their arrest. Families are expressing deep concern, with many fearing forced recruitment given the prevailing security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Urban Youth Council of Karisimbi has sounded the alarm, calling on national and international human rights organizations to closely monitor the situation. They are urging these organizations to intervene and shed light on the fate of the missing individuals. The council emphasized the importance of respecting the fundamental rights of those detained, particularly minors, and stressed that all arrests and detentions must comply with international humanitarian law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This incident follows other reports of mass arrests in Goma. Just days earlier, on July 1, several young people, women, and men were reportedly arrested while celebrating a football match. While 31 individuals were officially released on July 3, the status of others detained during that event remains uncertain. Civil society organizations are calling for greater transparency and adherence to national and international legal guarantees for all individuals deprived of their liberty.