The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that at least 179 people have been hospitalized following heavy fighting in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Among the injured, 39 people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and are receiving treatment at the Provincial General Reference Hospital in Bukavu. Red Cross volunteers, along with the ICRC, also found 26 bodies in the city as of Monday.
Some of the hospitalized patients were transported from the Kalehe and Kabare regions, which have recently seen heavy fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese army.
On Sunday, the Congolese government accused the Rwandan army and its allies of entering Bukavu and urged residents to be careful. As the rebels consolidate control of the city, locals are trying to go about their daily lives under uncertain conditions.
According to UN figures, the violence since January 26 has left more than 3,000 dead, 2,880 injured and more than 500,000 displaced, adding to the 6.4 million people already internally displaced.
The conflict has also taken its toll on peacekeepers, with at least 20 UN soldiers (14 from South Africa) killed in clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese forces.
Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the rebels and deploying its forces in eastern Congo; Kigali continues to deny these claims.