By Bunmi Yekini
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has condemned the brutal killing of one of its health workers in Masisi, North Kivu province, after armed men in military uniforms stormed his home and shot him dead on the evening of April 18. The victim, a nurse at the Masisi General Referral Hospital, is the second MSF staff member to be murdered in Masisi in just two months.
“This must stop immediately,” said Emmanuel Lampaert, MSF’s country representative in the DRC. “We strongly condemn this terrible act, which cost our colleague his life, and which reflects the severely deteriorating security situation we have witnessed in North and South Kivu since the beginning of the year.”
The attack followed an earlier incident the same evening in which two men in military fatigues, armed with assault rifles, reportedly robbed civilians before invading the nurse’s residence. The attackers shot him twice in the chest, fatally wounding him.
Since the start of 2025, three MSF staff have been shot dead in North Kivu, either in the line of duty or as collateral victims of widespread violence. On February 20, an MSF radio operator was killed during a crossfire between rival armed groups in central Masisi. Days later, another staffer was murdered in Goma. Several others have been wounded, with the most recent victim now hospitalized.
“Even in locations where armed clashes have ceased, insecurity is everywhere,” said Mathilde Guého, MSF head of programmes in North Kivu. “We are witnessing persistently high levels of crime and repeated violent incidents affecting civilians, especially at night: murders, sexual violence, gunshot wounds, extortion, home invasions, intimidation and more.”
MSF says it has recorded at least 15 violent incidents directly affecting its teams, ambulances, and supported health facilities in the last four months. The organization is urging Congolese authorities and all armed actors to protect civilians and humanitarian workers in line with international humanitarian law.
“We remind all parties – M23/AFC, VDP/Wazalendo, FARDC – that the protection of civilians and their property in conflict zones is a legal obligation,” Lampaert said. “All relevant authorities must act urgently to uphold this responsibility.”
MSF continues to operate in the DRC with nearly 3,000 staff, working alongside the Ministry of Health to deliver critical medical services to some of the most vulnerable populations in the country.