The military governor of the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) North Kivu province, Peter Cirimwami, said that 15 people died and 35 others were seriously wounded after explosions at four camps for displaced people (IDPs) last week.
The eastern city of Goma has been struggling to deal with an influx of IDPs from the territories of Masisi, Rutshuru and Nyiragongo in North Kivu, where the M23 militia control swathes of land.
A spokesman for the Congolese armed forces in North Kivu accused M23 fighters of firing on the camps in Lac Vert and Mugunga on the outskirts of Goma on Friday morning — claims that were rejected by M23.
According to witnesses to Friday's shellings, government forces positioned near the camps had been bombarding the rebels on hills further west since early morning, and, according to one activist, "the M23 retaliated by throwing bombs indiscriminately."
Kambale Kiyoma, a displaced Congolese, described what happened when the IDP camp where he lives with his family came under attack.
"We woke up in the morning to find that shells were being fired from here at M23 positions. After a while, the M23 retaliated," Kambale said, adding that several shells fell at camps in the area.
Kambale said that he feels abandoned and wants the government to restore peace.
Safi Kasembe, another IDP, told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news........