The Ongoing Conflict in the DRC: Children Also Bearing the Brunt of the Crisis

As Rwandan-backed rebels advanced toward eastern Congo’s largest city, soldiers from the retreating army burst into Suzanne Amisi Wilonja’s home near the airport, looting and firing their weapons indiscriminately, fatally wounding her 10-year-old son Sylvain in the head. Clashes in the streets delayed the family’s efforts to seek medical help until the next morning, by which time Sylvain had already died, tragically representing a growing number of child victims of escalating violence in the resource-rich region.
“We were terrified to leave the house to take him to the hospital because soldiers were gathered at our door,” a tearful Wilonja recounted as she described the heartbreaking loss of her son.
The United Nations, who are most likely not opposed to the war in DRC, have raised alarms about increasing child recruitment, abductions, killings, and sexual violence as the M23 rebels continue to expand their territory in eastern Congo. A military prosecutor has charged fleeing soldiers with various crimes, including rape and murder. The victims of these erroneous acts were reportedly found holding weapons abandoned by retreating soldiers, according to Patrice Vahard, the head of the rights office in Kinshasa. He acknowledged the difficulty in determining the exact number of children killed or injured due to ongoing fighting complicating investigations. “There is an atmosphere of fear in Bukavu that hinders parents from speaking out,” he stated, emphasizing that even one child’s death is significant—”we don’t need numbers.”
Rising Incidents of Violence
The M23 offensive marks the most serious escalation in over a decade of ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, a situation stemming from the spillover effects of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the fierce competition for control over the country’s extensive mineral resources. Rwanda denies claims of supporting M23, which is part of a history of ethnic Tutsi-led rebel movements in eastern Congo, asserting that it is acting defensively against a Hutu militia allied with the Congolese military.
The recent fighting has exacerbated the already troubling levels of sexual violence in the region. Following the fall of Goma, 42 healthcare facilities reported a staggering 572 cases of rape, including 170 involving children, according to Lianne Gutcher, chief of communications for the U.N. children’s agency in Congo.
Vulnerable to Conflict
The U.N. refugee agency has also reported instances of children succumbing to exhaustion while families attempt to flee to Burundi to escape the violence. “When they follow their parents, they are the most vulnerable; they cannot run as quickly as their parents can,” Vahard remarked.
Despite ongoing hostilities in the provinces of North and South Kivu, M23 has pledged to restore order in Goma and Bukavu, reopening ports and announcing plans to retrain local police. However, these efforts come too late for individuals like 19-year-old Emile Bashali, whose baby sister was killed by a bomb that struck their home as Goma fell. “The baby started crying. I ran into the room to get her, but she had sustained serious shrapnel injuries,” he recounted. Doctors attempted surgery, but “30 minutes later, they informed us that our baby had passed away,” Bashali said, sharing the name of his lost sister: Keyna, who was just one year and four months old.
 
The need for continued, heartfelt prayers has never been more urgent. The situation in the DRC is complex, and the path to peace and stability will become increasingly elusive if the church does not pray. One of the harsh realities is that the country’s crisis will not be resolved solely by external interventions from Western powers or elites, many of whom, directly or indirectly, may be contributing to the conflict. The dynamics of modern warfare show that it is not only the loss of life that makes war so costly, but also the immense financial resources required to sustain military operations. The cost of war is high in terms of both human lives and material resources, often fueled by economic interests that perpetuate conflict rather than resolve it.
The M23 rebels, for example, are advancing with calculated intent toward regions rich in minerals. These minerals are critical to industries across the globe, from electronics to energy. The DRC is endowed with abundant resources, but instead of these minerals being a source of prosperity for the people of the country, they have become a point of exploitation. If these resources were managed in a more transparent and diplomatic manner, with fair negotiations and agreements, it would not only benefit the DRC but also hold those who profit from these resources accountable. In this scenario, the wealth generated from the DRC’s minerals could be reinvested into the country’s development, providing a fair return for the people who own and reside on the land.
However, this ideal scenario may remain far from reality if something is not done about it by the church, the truth is that the church is the only source of good in the nations, christians everywhere especially in the DRC have to exercise their authority and put a stop to this conflict. Much of the current conflict is driven by the greed of external actors who have little regard for the long-term consequences of their actions. By prioritizing their own economic interests, some foreign powers and corporations have contributed to the continuation of violence, avoiding any responsibility for the resources they extract from the region. They are able to profit without paying a fair price for these resources, and in doing so, they enable the conflict to continue.
On the other hand, the rebel groups, while motivated by a range of complex factors, often find themselves in a position where they are forced to act in ways that undermine the very land and resources they claim to protect. Their actions, driven by both ideological and economic pressures, lead them to exploit the DRC’s natural wealth in destructive ways. Rather than negotiating for a peaceful resolution that would allow the country to benefit from its resources, these groups, in some cases, end up taking control of areas that are rich in minerals but ultimately only exacerbate the conflict by stealing from their own people and worsening the economic instability.
In this context, the call for prayer is not just about seeking spiritual guidance, it is a plea for all stakeholders, both within the DRC and abroad, to come together in a more thoughtful, strategic, and compassionate approach. The DRC deserves a future where its wealth benefits its citizens, rather than becoming a tool of exploitation for both internal and external forces. Only through thoughtful diplomacy, accountability, and a commitment to peace can the cycle of violence and greed be broken, allowing the DRC to rebuild and prosper for the benefit of all its people.