By Mevlut Ozkan
ISTANBUL (AA) - A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) member and a child were injured Thursday after shots hit the medical charity’s base in Masisi town in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern province of North Kivu.
“We strongly condemn this latest episode of violence, which has directly impacted a humanitarian facility that should be protected from gunfire,” MSF said in a statement.
Intense clashes involving heavy weaponry erupted in the town, under the M23 rebels’ control since January, according to Stephan Goetghebuer, the head of programs at MSF.
Since Jan. 16, two civilians were killed, two MSF members and a health ministry staff were injured in the surroundings of the MSF base and Masisi hospital, which saw several incidents.
MSF underlined that since early January, daily clashes near Masisi caused civilian casualties at the MSF-supported hospital, with thousands seeking refuge at the MSF base and the market in front of the hospital.
After seizing control of Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province near the border with Rwanda, the M23 rebels captured Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, over the last week.
Since Jan. 26, the conflict has resulted in more than 3,000 deaths, nearly 3,000 injuries and over 500,000 new displacements, adding to the already 6.4 million displaced people, according to the UN.
Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels and sending troops into eastern Congo to assist the rebels in their recent offensive.
Kigali has repeatedly denied the allegations.