School fire in rebel-held east Congo city kills at least 17, sources say


DAKAR, Sept ⁠10 (Reuters) - A fire at a school ⁠in Congo's rebel-controlled city of ‌Bukavu has killed at least 17 people, including some children, local and medical sources ​said on Thursday.

A witness at ⁠the scene told ⁠Reuters he had helped to load ⁠17 ‌bodies of deceased men and children into an ambulance.

A ⁠local health centresaid it had received ​10 bodies ‌of people killed in the ⁠fire. Another ​hospital said it had admitted more than 50 students, 14 of whom ⁠died.

Bukavu has been controlled ​by Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels since the group staged a lightning offensive in eastern ⁠Congo last year.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

Corneille Nangaa, coordinator of the rebel alliance, told ​Reuters he didn't ⁠have an exact figure yet but ​put the death toll ‌at around 10.

(Reporting by ​Congo newsroom; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In World

Exclusive-UK deepens reliance on Musk's SpaceX, spending nearly $40 million on satellite services
Algeria cuts diplomatic ties with the UAE
Russia sends bones of medieval warrior prince to Ukraine front to boost morale
Dispute over recycling machines drags struggle over Cairo's trash into public view
Iceland to propose whaling ban, leaving Norway and Japan isolated
Ugandan kingdom gripped by succession battle after monarch's death
As Russians prepare to vote, anxiety over the war deepens
Russian forces hit Kyiv petrol station, injuring four
Sweden's election could bring far right a place at the heart of government
Zelenskiy, arriving in Canada, says air defences and winter preparation in focus

Others Also Read