MSF Health Worker Killed Amid Rising Violence in DRC's North Kivu: Third Staff Fatality in 2025

According to MSF accounts, two armed individuals in military fatigues and armed with assault rifles initially attacked and robbed civilians in Masisi town.

The humanitarian community is in mourning following the tragic killing of a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) health worker in Masisi, a town located in the embattled North Kivu province of eastern DRC. On the evening of April 18, an MSF nurse working at the Masisi General Referral Hospital was fatally shot in his own home by an armed assailant wearing a military uniform. The incident marks the second MSF staff death in Masisi in just two months and the third across North Kivu this year alone.

A Heinous Attack on Humanitarian Workers

According to MSF accounts, two armed individuals in military fatigues and armed with assault rifles initially attacked and robbed civilians in Masisi town. They then proceeded to break into the home of the MSF nurse, where they opened fire, striking him twice in the chest. Despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.

“This appalling act cost our valued colleague his life and reflects the grave deterioration of security across both North and South Kivu provinces since the beginning of the year,” said Emmanuel Lampaert, MSF’s Country Representative in DRC. “Week after week, our teams are increasingly victims of violent attacks, not merely witnesses. This violence must end immediately.”

Escalating Insecurity and Violence Against Humanitarians

The killing is only the latest in a string of violent incidents plaguing the region. Since early 2025, MSF teams have recorded near-daily violence, often becoming direct targets. In just four months, three MSF staff have been shot dead in North Kivu.

On February 20, a radio operator was killed by crossfire while on duty at an MSF base during clashes between VDP/Wazalendo militia and M23/AFC forces. Merely days later, another MSF worker was gunned down in the middle of the night at his residence in Goma. Several others have sustained gunshot wounds, with one currently hospitalized in Goma.

“In many areas, armed clashes may have ceased, but insecurity continues to spread unchecked,” explained Mathilde Guého, MSF’s Head of Programmes for North Kivu. “Beyond the active conflict, we are grappling daily with rampant criminality: murders, sexual violence, home invasions, gun attacks, extortion, and intimidation. This pervasive environment of fear not only threatens civilians but severely hinders humanitarian operations.”

Urgent Calls for Protection and Accountability

Since January 2025, approximately 15 violent incidents have directly impacted MSF’s teams, ambulances, offices, and the health facilities they support. In light of the escalating threat, MSF is urgently calling upon the DRC’s competent authorities to:

• Enforce accountability measures against armed perpetrators.

• Guarantee the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers.

• Act swiftly to curtail the tide of crime and violence impacting the region.

“We remind all parties to the conflict — including M23/AFC, VDP/Wazalendo, and the FARDC (Congolese Armed Forces) — that protecting civilians and their property is not optional; it is a legal obligation under international humanitarian law,” emphasized Lampaert. “Immediate and decisive action is required to uphold this duty.”

The Humanitarian Stakes in DRC

MSF’s operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo are among its largest globally, with nearly 3,000 locally-hired and international staff providing life-saving medical care across the country, often in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Their work is indispensable to communities suffering from conflict, displacement, and fragile health systems.

However, the escalating insecurity threatens the very fabric of humanitarian aid in the region. Medical facilities, meant to be protected spaces even in times of war, have increasingly become targets, jeopardizing the lives of healthcare workers and the patients they serve.

MSF’s continued presence in North Kivu — despite extreme risks — underscores their commitment to the Congolese people. Yet, without immediate improvements in security and accountability, the ability of humanitarian organizations to operate safely and effectively in the DRC faces unprecedented challenges.