Jailbreak in DR Congo leads to attacks on female prisoners as rebels seize Goma

A mass jailbreak occurred at Munzenze prison in Goma, DR Congo, last week as M23 rebels took control of the city. Thousands of male inmates escaped, while female prisoners were reportedly attacked and their wing set on fire, resulting in numerous deaths. The United Nations reported that hundreds of women were raped and burned alive during the incident. UN peacekeepers have faced restrictions from the rebels, limiting their ability to investigate further. The UN has warned that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war in the region. In a recent development, the M23 rebels announced a unilateral ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, starting Tuesday. This follows reports of at least 900 deaths from fighting in Goma. The rebels stated they do not plan to capture the nearby city of Bukavu.