Official statements from the French or DRC government

Protesters Set Fire to French, US Embassies in Kinshasa as Goma Falls to M23 Rebels

Jan 28, 2025, 12:09 PM

Armed protesters in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, attacked and set fire to several foreign embassies, including those of France, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Japan, and Belgium. The demonstrators accuse these countries of supporting the M23 rebels, who captured the key eastern city of Goma yesterday. The French embassy experienced a fire that was subsequently brought under control, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the attacks as 'unacceptable'. Security forces defending the French embassy fired shots, but embassy staff are safe. Some embassies were ransacked and looted during the attacks. The protests reflect growing tensions over the conflict in the eastern DRC.