Three people died and at least 15 were injured in a stampede during the distribution of humanitarian aid from the provincial government to displaced people in the Kanyaruchinya (province of North Kivu) camp near Goma on Friday.
Refugee Jean Serutoke claimed his brother Rukomeza was shot by the police during stampede.
“People were very hungry, when they saw that the food had gone into police vehicles, people tried to take something by force. I had my big brother, unfortunately he was shot and he died among the three victims,” Serutoke said.
The incident happened during the first aid given by the provincial government since last May. The investigation on the fatal incident is underway.
According to media reports, about 74,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes amid skirmishes between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and suspected members of the M23 rebel group.
Clashes have been on the rise between the FARDC and M23 since November last year. The rebel group is pressuring the government to honour a 2013 agreement, which would allow members of the armed forces accused of committing genocide to reintegrate with society.
