The shooting in the war-torn African country reportedly left two servicemen dead on the spot, while three others died later of their injuries

A "drunken" member of the Democratic Republic of Congo armed forces has shot and killed at least five fellow soldiers, according to local media.

The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday morning in Mungazi, located in North Kivu province in the troubled east of the country, where the military and M23 rebels have been engaged in renewed clashes since early 2025.

The suspect, who was allegedly drunk, opened fire on his colleagues after collecting his pay, according to the outlet Actualite.cd. Fiston Misona Tabashile, president of the civil society of Walikale, the area's administrative center, was cited by AP as saying an argument between the soldiers escalated into violence late Monday evening after they had received their salaries.

Two of the soldiers died on the spot, according to both outlets. Nine others who were critically wounded were taken to Kibua General Hospital for treatment, where three later succumbed to their injuries.

"The perpetrators have been apprehended and are in custody," AP quoted Congolese military spokesperson Nestor Mavudisa as saying. A local miner also told the American outlet that many residents initially believed M23 rebels were behind the shooting.

The miner, identified as Jean Kokwe, said it "was only afterward that some people who were there told us that it was Congolese military soldiers who had received their pay."

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The M23 rebels are among dozens of armed groups operating in DR Congo's mineral-rich eastern region, where the government has struggled for decades to assert control. In January, the militants launched a major offensive, seizing Goma, the capital of North Kivu, before advancing in February to capture Bukavu, the capital of neighboring South Kivu. The latest fighting has triggered what the UN calls one of the worst humanitarian crises in years, involving thousands of people, including civilians, government troops, and UN peacekeepers.

In April, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) intervened to evacuate several hundred disarmed Congolese soldiers and police who had sought refuge at a UN base in Goma following the city's capture.

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