Gunfire forced Catholic sisters to take refuge in their convent bathroom in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as fighting escalated near the Rwanda border in early 2026, according to Life Site News. Clashes between Congolese forces and M23 rebels intensified despite recent peace agreements, leaving civilians trapped, terrified, and unable to flee as violence spread across surrounding communities.
The news outlet withheld identities and locations for safety and released images of bomb remnants discovered near the convent. Sister Mary said armed groups were killing civilians without mercy and instilling fear across villages. She added that fighters treated people searching for food as enemies, forcing families to remain indoors for days, worsening hunger and leaving many without access to aid or medical care.
M23 rebels previously seized control of provincial capitals in North and South Kivu, and Human Rights Watch and UN News reported that they killed hundreds of villagers in 2025 as violence escalated. Rights groups also documented sexual violence, torture and forced displacement, while ISIS-linked militants earlier beheaded 70 Christians in another attack, highlighting the region’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
Daily life has been severely disrupted, with schools, hospitals and charitable missions unable to function as communities struggle for safety and basic supplies. Life Site News reported that Sister Mary called on people worldwide to pray. She said hopes for mediation had faded. Families continued to suffer under prolonged conflict and lived in constant fear of renewed attacks.