On January 19, two MSF workers were injured when rockets hit near the Masisi General Referral hospital in the DRC. This incident is part of ongoing violence in the region, leading MSF to call for protection of humanitarian facilities. MSF has been supporting healthcare in Masisi since 2007 amid escalating dangers to civilians and medical staff.
On January 19, in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, two aid workers from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) were injured by a rocket that struck their garage adjacent to the Masisi General Referral hospital. A second rocket landed nearby, further endangering the hospital’s safety, which, along with the MSF compound, was also fired upon. MSF urges respect for humanitarian facilities amidst escalating violence in the region, emphasizing that such attacks violate international humanitarian law.
Stephan Goetghebuer, MSF’s head of programmes for North Kivu, condemned the shootings, noting the potential for greater harm. “Fortunately, our two colleagues were only slightly injured, but the toll could have been much higher.” MSF asserts that many people are taking shelter within the hospital and NGO compounds, highlighting the urgent need for improved protection of these vulnerable areas.
This incident marks the second attack on the Masisi General Referral hospital in just four days, amid ongoing clashes between M23/AFC forces and the Congolese army seeking control of Masisi. On January 16, two civilians were shot near the hospital, resulting in one fatality, escalating concerns among staff and displaced individuals present at the hospital.
Romain Briey, MSF’s field coordinator in Masisi, voiced the fears of patients and sheltering individuals, lamenting the lack of safe spaces amidst violence. “Where can they protect themselves from the fighting if not in the hospital or in the humanitarian bases?” Briey called on all parties involved in the conflict to take necessary precautions to protect civilians, particularly in proximity to healthcare facilities.
MSF has been providing support to the Ministry of Health in Masisi since 2007, including assistance to the Masisi General Referral hospital and numerous isolated health centers. The ongoing violence threatens both the delivery of healthcare services and the safety of those seeking refuge within these facilities.
The context of this incident is rooted in the ongoing conflict in North Kivu, where various armed groups, including the M23/AFC, continue to clash with the Congolese army. These confrontations have increasingly endangered civilians and humanitarian staff, emphasizing the need for tougher protections for healthcare and humanitarian infrastructure under international law. MSF has been active in the region for many years, assisting displaced populations and supporting local healthcare institutions amidst such instability.
The recent gunfire and rocket attacks near the Masisi General Referral hospital underscore a severe violation of humanitarian protocols and expose the risks faced by medical personnel and vulnerable populations in conflict zones. MSF’s continued presence in North Kivu is critical, yet the increasing violence elevates the need for stronger guarantees of safety for both healthcare facilities and the civilians sheltering within them.
Original Source: www.msf.org
