The IOM described the incident as one of the deadliest shipwrecks recorded along the Eastern Route, which connects the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula.
The disaster highlights the dangers facing migrants travelling along the route in search of employment and better living conditions. The boat capsized during the sea crossing, leaving dozens of people missing as search and rescue efforts continued.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Djibouti, Jose Barahona, said he was deeply saddened by the loss of at least 139 lives, including children.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, the survivors and the families waiting for news of their loved ones,” Barahona said in a social media post. “We express our solidarity and welcome the ongoing search and rescue efforts.”
The IOM also called for greater action to prevent further deaths along the migration corridor, urging governments and donors to expand safe and legal migration options.
“We cannot keep treating these deaths as normal. Safe and legal pathways save lives. I am asking governments and donors to act before the next boat goes down,” the organisation said.
More than 900 people died or went missing along the Eastern Route in 2025, according to figures cited by the IOM.
The route is frequently used by migrants travelling from Ethiopia through Djibouti to Yemen. Despite the risks, many continue to undertake the crossing in the hope of finding work and improving their living conditions.
The journey exposes migrants to serious dangers, including overcrowded boats, shipwrecks, trafficking and exploitation. Those who reach Yemen may also face insecurity and difficult humanitarian conditions.
Economic hardship, limited employment opportunities and conflict are among the factors that can push people to leave their homes in search of alternatives elsewhere. For many, the decision to migrate involves weighing uncertain prospects against the challenges they face at home.
The Eastern Route remains an important migration corridor between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with Djibouti serving as a transit point for people attempting to cross the Gulf of Aden to Yemen.
The IOM described the incident as one of the deadliest shipwrecks recorded along the Eastern Route, which connects the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula.
In a message of consolation issued on Sunday, October 11, the Ministry of Local Government expressed solidarity with traders, business owners, vendors and families affected by the fire, which broke out on Saturday afternoon and spread across the building.
“The Government of Rwanda also assures its support and cooperation in the reconstruction of the market to enable commercial activities to resume,” the statement reads.
The government commended the Rwanda National Police Fire and Rescue Brigade, local government leaders and members of the public for their efforts to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to neighbouring commercial buildings.
According to the statement, two people sustained minor injuries, while another 15 experienced distress and were taken to different hospitals for medical attention. Most have since been discharged, while two remain under medical observation.
The authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, the government said.
The blaze caused extensive damage to merchandise and resulted in substantial financial losses among traders operating in the market. The flames spread across several floors, destroying goods and affecting businesses housed in the building.
Musanze Market was built in 2017 by Gorilla Investment Company (GOICO), a consortium of 89 private investors from Musanze District, at a cost of approximately Rwf7.5 billion.
The multi-storey complex accommodates businesses selling clothing, electronics and other merchandise, as well as banks and supermarkets. More than 1,550 traders operate in the market, which receives an estimated 25,000 visitors daily.
The Ministry of Local Government expressed solidarity with traders, business owners, vendors and families affected by the fire, which broke out on Saturday afternoon and spread across the building.
The 71-year-old Pope disclosed the development while addressing worshippers gathered in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the traditional Angelus prayer, saying the nodule had been detected at an early stage.
“Recently, during some medical examinations, doctors found a localized nodule in my lung,” Leo XIV said. He added that the nodule was “detected at a very early stage and is well localized,” explaining that his doctors had recommended surgery to remove it.
“The doctors believe surgery is appropriate. Following their advice, I have therefore decided to undergo an operation to remove it,” the Pope said.
The pontiff confirmed that the procedure had already been scheduled for the coming days, although he did not disclose the exact date during his address. He also expressed gratitude to Catholics and other supporters for their prayers as he prepares for the operation.
“I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers,” he said.
According to Vatican News, the Pope’s announcement followed medical examinations that identified the nodule, prompting doctors to recommend surgical intervention.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the operation was scheduled for the beginning of the week and that the Pope’s expected hospital stay after the procedure would be approximately one week.
The surgery is expected to take place at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, a medical facility that has treated previous popes, according to international media reports.
The Vatican has not disclosed whether the nodule is benign or malignant, and no cancer diagnosis has been announced. A lung nodule is a localized area of abnormal tissue that can have several causes and does not necessarily indicate cancer.
The Pope also referred to his planned pastoral visit to Latin America in November, thanking the faithful for their prayers ahead of the trip.
The visit is scheduled to include Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17. Leo XIV previously served as a missionary and bishop in Peru before his election as pope.
Pope Leo XIV became head of the Catholic Church in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis.
The 71-year-old Pope disclosed his medical condition while addressing worshippers gathered in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the traditional Angelus prayer, saying the nodule had been detected at an early stage.
Uwizeyimana said the Head of State had encouraged Rwandans living abroad to return and contribute to national development, particularly those who had acquired knowledge and financial resources that could benefit the country.
He was speaking to Rwandans living in Canada during the Rwanda Convention Canada on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
The senator called on Rwandans abroad to contribute to their country’s development through their knowledge, professional skills, investments and networks, regardless of where they live.
“Contributing to Rwanda’s development does not require you to be in Rwanda every day. You can be in Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, yet Rwanda can benefit from your knowledge, your profession, your relationships with others, your investments, your ideas and the way you speak about your country,” he said.
Some Rwandans living abroad have been accused of spreading false information and speaking ill about the country, often in pursuit of their own selfish interests.
Uwizeyimana was asked what could be done to encourage more Rwandans living abroad to reconsider their criticism of the country and adopt a more constructive approach.
He traced his decision to return to a speech Kagame delivered during Rwanda Day in Toronto in 2013, when the President encouraged Rwandans who had acquired knowledge and wealth abroad to use those resources to support the country’s development.
“During Rwanda Day in Toronto in 2013, the President called on all Rwandans to contribute to the journey we have been on for 32 years. He said there were people who had acquired knowledge and others who had acquired money. He said we needed both groups and invited them to come and work with us,” Uwizeyimana recalled.
He said Kagame also addressed those who had acquired what he described as bad habits abroad, telling them to keep those habits rather than bring them back to Rwanda.
“To be honest, I did not have money, but I had knowledge, and I believed in it. I brought that knowledge to Kigali. I contributed what little I could alongside others. I had criticised the government, and I told the President so. I told him, ‘But I believe in you.’ As a compassionate leader, he gave me an opportunity to contribute,” he said.
Uwizeyimana said he had initially gone to Canada to study and was a refugee at the time.
After returning to Rwanda, he held various positions, including at the Ministry of Justice and the Rwanda Law Reform Commission. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.
The senator said returning to Rwanda could open up opportunities for people to contribute in different ways, although not everyone would necessarily take up public office.
“I believe these are opportunities that anyone could have. I am not telling everyone here that they will return and become ministers or senators, but everyone has something they can bring to that country. There are also people we cannot tell to abandon what they are doing here and come to sit in Kigali.
Building Rwanda does not require you to be physically present there,” he said.
Uwizeyimana urged Rwandans to respond to criticism and false claims about the country by sharing accurate information rather than engaging in insults.
“If someone speaks ill about Rwanda, do not start insulting them. But if they are lying, put accurate information out there and remain silent. Anyone seeking information about Rwanda will then find your side as well and compare the two,” he said.
Senator Evode speaks to Rwandans living in Canada during the Rwanda Convention Canada on Saturday, October 10, 2026.The senator called on Rwandans abroad to contribute to their country’s development through their knowledge, professional skills, investments and networks, regardless of where they live.The senator said returning to Rwanda could open up opportunities for people to contribute in different ways, although not everyone would necessarily take up public office.
The Saudi aviation authority said in a statement early Sunday that the fatalities included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign residents — two Bangladeshis and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.
The injured are receiving treatment at several hospitals, with some in serious condition, the authority said.
The authority said in an earlier statement that operations at the airport had been temporarily suspended pending damage assessments and safety checks.
Following the Saturday attack, the Houthi group said in a statement that it was ready for reciprocal measures with Saudi Arabia to keep airports, seaports and other facilities with humanitarian functions outside the escalating military confrontation.
Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported Saturday that Saudi Arabia launched a new wave of air and missile strikes across Houthi-held areas in Yemen, targeting Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-held capital, areas near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and several northern provinces.
Also on Saturday, Yemen’s government forces said that more than 1,150 Houthi fighters had been “neutralized” and over 180 military and logistical vehicles destroyed or damaged in over 1,900 strikes across multiple fronts in Yemen in the past 24 hours.
The figures could not be independently verified.
Around Yemen’s southwestern city of Taiz, Houthi advances have put increasing pressure on government forces defending the city and disrupted key roads connecting it with government-held areas in southern Yemen, government military sources told Xinhua, adding that fierce clashes were underway south of the city.
Supported by Saudi airstrikes, the Yemeni government launched a large-scale offensive on Monday, seeking to retake Houthi-held territory, with some of the fiercest fighting concentrated around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of the country’s north. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, now based in the southern port city of Aden.
The renewed fighting marked a major escalation after a UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted major hostilities.
An attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday afternoon has killed 12 people and injured 309 others, the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said, as Yemen’s Houthi group and Saudi Arabia continued exchanging strikes on major airports.
At least 20 people were killed or wounded in an ambush in South Kivu on September 17, 2026, involving personnel working for the former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, according to reports.
Those killed included at least seven Congolese nationals and Justin Conaglen, a former member of New Zealand’s special forces. Tim Kennedy, a former US Army Special Forces soldier and mixed martial arts fighter, was among those wounded.
Reuters reported that Kennedy was shot three times in the leg and later evacuated to the United States for treatment. The New York Times reported that he sustained multiple gunshot wounds during fighting in the hills around Minembwe, where Conaglen was killed.
Kennedy was initially taken to Burundi before being transferred to South Africa and eventually flown to the United States, as efforts were made to evacuate the wounded and recover the bodies.
The ambush was not the first deadly incident involving Prince’s personnel in the DRC. Clashes in early September had already killed several Colombian mercenaries, according to reports, before the group that included Kennedy was attacked on September 17.
The incidents point to mounting losses among personnel deployed by Prince in different parts of South Kivu while supporting government forces against their adversaries.
How Tim Kennedy became involved in the DRC conflict
Kennedy previously served in the US Army Special Forces, known as the Green Berets, before establishing a career in mixed martial arts. He competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) before retiring from professional competition in 2017.
In September 2026, he was in the DRC as part of a team working for Prince, whose involvement in the country has expanded beyond providing security services to include support for military operations.
Prince founded Blackwater, a private military company that became prominent during US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company attracted international condemnation after its employees killed civilians in Baghdad in 2007.
Since then, Prince has pursued security and commercial ventures in several countries affected by conflict and instability, including in Africa.
In the DRC, his operations are conducted largely through Vectus Global, a company involved in security-related activities.
Kennedy previously served in the US Army Special Forces, known as the Green Berets, before establishing a career in mixed martial arts.
Prince’s deal with Kinshasa
Prince’s involvement in the DRC predates the September ambush.
A report by the United Nations Group of Experts on the DRC indicates that the Congolese government entered into a five-year agreement with Prince in December 2024.
The arrangement covered security operations in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, with plans to train and deploy personnel and provide aerial capabilities, including drones capable of carrying out attacks.
The agreement also envisaged the use of a system to oversee mineral tax collection, with the aim of increasing government revenue to help finance the operations.
The deal was valued at hundreds of millions of dollars over five years, although the amount paid to Prince has not been disclosed.
What was initially presented as an initiative to protect mining sites, monitor mineral trade and improve revenue collection has since extended to direct support for military operations.
Prince has supplied drones and personnel to assist Congolese forces in the conflict.
His personnel have maintained a presence in Kalemie, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The team includes drone operators from Colombia and Ukraine who have been involved in military operations.
Reuters reported that their role expanded in early 2026, when Prince’s personnel were deployed to Uvira. The total number of mercenaries working for him in the DRC remains unknown.
Prince’s involvement in the DRC predates the September ambush.
The risks facing foreign fighters in South Kivu
The September ambush near Minembwe highlighted the risks facing foreign personnel deployed to support Congolese government forces, even when they have experience in elite military units.
The circumstances surrounding the September 17 attack remain unclear. The New York Times quoted a person close to Prince describing it as an intense, prolonged battle that was made more difficult by insufficient support from Congolese forces.
The latest casualties come amid the Congolese government’s continued reliance on foreign fighters.
In early 2025, when M23 captured Goma, nearly 300 foreign mercenaries working for the Congolese government, most of them Romanian, surrendered and left the country through Rwanda.
Their departure did not end Kinshasa’s reliance on foreign personnel, with subsequent reports pointing to continued efforts to enlist outside support for military operations.
The use of foreign mercenaries has also featured in Rwanda’s concerns over security in eastern Congo.
Rwanda has repeatedly argued that the Congolese army operates alongside several armed groups and foreign forces, including the FDLR, Wazalendo and Burundian troops, as well as foreign mercenaries. Kigali maintains that these arrangements pose a threat to its security.
Erik Prince’s controversial record
Prince’s operations have repeatedly attracted scrutiny over their military and political implications.
Blackwater became notorious following the killing of civilians at Baghdad’s Nisour Square in 2007. Several of its former employees were convicted in connection with the incident before US President Donald Trump pardoned them in 2020.
Prince has also faced controversy over activities in Africa. In 2019, mercenaries associated with him left Libya after an operation there encountered difficulties. UN experts have separately accused him of involvement in activities that breached sanctions imposed on Somalia.
In a 2024 interview, Prince made remarks that sparked debate over his views on US involvement in African countries, which he described as incapable of governing themselves.
According to The New York Times, when asked whether his proposals amounted to a new form of colonialism, Prince acknowledged that characterisation.
Zobel Behalal, a researcher who has studied mercenary operations in the DRC, said the government’s decision to enlist Prince reflected weaknesses in the Congolese military. He added that civilians ultimately bear the cost of the conflict.
DRC relies on battle-hardened mercenaries, but they are suffering defeats alongside FARDC forces.
The fire broke out in the afternoon and spread across several floors, eventually engulfing the entire building, according to residents who spoke to IGIHE.
One resident said the fire was first noticed on the fifth floor, where tailors and second-hand clothing traders operate.
“The fire started on the fifth floor, and it is still burning,” the resident said.
As the fire spread, traders and other occupants fled the building, while some traders broke down in tears after seeing their merchandise go up in flames.
Residents said the cause of the fire was initially unknown. However, information obtained by IGIHE later indicated that it may have started during welding work inside the building before spreading to other sections.
The flames reached highly combustible materials, including clothes, mattresses, oils and plastic products, accelerating the spread of the fire.
By 4:30 p.m., the fire had spread across the fourth and fifth floors as the Rwanda National Police’s Fire and Rescue Brigade worked to extinguish it.
A resident told IGIHE that traders operating on the upper floors were particularly concerned about the scale of their losses.
“People are distressed, understandably, because they have lost their property. I suspect those operating upstairs, where the fire started, will not be able to salvage anything,” the resident said.
At around 5 p.m., the fire appeared to have subsided in the area where it had started, with smoke remaining visible. However, the situation subsequently deteriorated as the flames spread to the lower floors.
By 5:25 p.m., a resident told IGIHE that the first floor had also caught fire.
“All the floors are burning, including the first floor, which has also caught fire. There are four fire engines,” the resident said.
The resident added that banks operating on the lower floors had also been affected.
At around 6 p.m., another resident reported that efforts to extinguish the fire were proving difficult, with a bank branch, an insurance company and a supermarket among the businesses reportedly affected.
“The fire is still very intense. The market sells clothes and plastic products, which are fuelling the flames. The entire market sells clothes, mattresses and plastic items,” the resident said.
The Rwanda Energy Group (REG) had cut off electricity to the building as a precaution against further damage, according to the resident.
By 6:33 p.m., the fire was still burning throughout the building, raising fears that it could continue into the night.
“The entire building is burning. There is nowhere that has been spared. The firefighters are still trying, although they have not been able to save anything,” the resident said.
With the building engulfed in flames, attention shifted to preventing the fire from spreading to neighbouring structures. Large crowds had gathered around the market to watch the incident, prompting security personnel to ask people to leave the area as night fell.
The fire also disrupted traffic along the Musanze-Kigali road as people evacuated the building and others gathered at the scene. Police officers reportedly regulated the flow of vehicles to reduce the risk of accidents.
The Rwanda National Police confirmed that its Fire and Rescue Brigade had arrived at the scene in a message posted on X.
“The Police Fire and Rescue Brigade has arrived at the scene,” the police stated.
At around 7:24 p.m., a resident told IGIHE that the fire remained intense and that security personnel were directing people away from the building.
The number of people injured or otherwise affected by the incident had not been established by around 8 p.m.
IGIHE contacted Musanze District Mayor Claudien Nsengimana for information about the cause of the fire, but he said he would provide an update later.
About Musanze Market
Musanze Market was built in 2017 by GOICO (Gorilla Investment Company), a company bringing together 89 private investors from Musanze District. The project cost approximately Rwf7.5 billion.
The multi-storey building houses businesses selling a range of goods, including clothing, electronic equipment and other merchandise. It also accommodates banks and supermarkets.
More than 1,550 traders operate in the market, which receives an estimated 25,000 visitors daily.
Traders are counting their losses after the devastating fire.
The multi-storey commercial building houses businesses selling clothing, electronic equipment and other goods. It also accommodates banks and supermarkets.More than 1,550 traders operate at the market, which receives an estimated 25,000 visitors daily.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 10, 2026, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the coalition forces included the Congolese army (FARDC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), Mai-Mai militias, foreign mercenaries and members of the Burundi National Defence Force.
“This military escalation is particularly concerning in the Minembwe region, where attacks continue with increased intensity,” Kanyuka stated.
Kanyuka said the forces intensified drone attacks on Point Zéro and surrounding areas in Minembwe at around 10 p.m. on Friday, October 9.
He added that another attack using kamikaze drones targeted Rugezi and neighbouring areas in the early hours of Saturday, October 10, at around 1 a.m.
According to Kanyuka, the repeated attacks on populated areas had resulted in deaths, forced civilians to flee their homes and worsened an already severe humanitarian situation.
AFC/M23, which operates in the area alongside the MRDP Twirwaneho armed group, did not provide figures for the reported deaths, injuries or displacement.
Point Zéro was among the areas controlled by AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho targeted in the attacks.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on October 9, 2026, recognising Pillay, 85, for her work on international justice, international law and human rights.
Pillay served as an ICTR judge from 1995 and became the tribunal’s president in 1999. Based in Arusha, Tanzania, the tribunal was established by the United Nations in 1994 to prosecute individuals responsible for the Genocide against the Tutsi and other serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Rwanda and neighbouring states that year.
Pillay was elected president in 1999, becoming the tribunal’s second head after Laïty Kama. She was re-elected in 2001 and served at the ICTR for eight years, including four as president.
Role in landmark Akayesu case
Pillay was among the judges who presided over the trial of Jean-Paul Akayesu, the former mayor of Taba commune in Rwanda.
On September 2, 1998, Trial Chamber I of the ICTR, comprising judges Laïty Kama, Lennart Aspegren and Pillay, found Akayesu guilty of genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, murder, torture and rape, among other crimes.
The judgment marked the first time an international criminal tribunal had convicted an individual of genocide. It also established an important precedent by recognising that rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute acts of genocide when committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a protected group.
The ruling addressed sexual violence against Tutsi women during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and contributed to the development of international jurisprudence on genocide and sexual violence in conflict.
Other international judicial roles
Pillay also served in proceedings involving Jean Kambanda, who was prime minister of Rwanda’s interim government in 1994.
Kambanda pleaded guilty to genocide and crimes against humanity and was sentenced to life imprisonment. His case marked the first time a former head of government had been convicted of genocide by an international criminal tribunal.
After leaving the ICTR, Pillay was elected a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2003. In 2008, she was appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, serving until 2014.
Born in Durban, South Africa, to a family of Indian Tamil origin, Pillay grew up under apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination. Before taking up international judicial roles, she practised law in South Africa and challenged the discriminatory system. She later became the first Black woman to serve as a judge of South Africa’s High Court.
The Nobel Peace Prize carries a monetary award of 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to approximately $1.2 million.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on October 9, 2026, recognising Pillay, 85, for her work on international justice, international law and human rights.
The decision was announced on Thursday, October 8, by Vice President JD Vance and officials from the US Department of Labor, who said the action was intended to protect American jobs and address alleged abuses of employment-based immigration programmes.
The decision has affected companies including Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini, according to the Department of Labor.
The suspension is from the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme, a certification that allows employers to hire a foreign employee to work permanently in the United States. Under this requirement, employers must demonstrate that qualified American workers are not available for the positions before sponsoring foreign talent for permanent residency.
Vance singled out Microsoft, alleging that the company laid off 6,000 American workers last year while benefiting from thousands of H-1B visas and green card applications. He argued that companies should not dismiss American employees while relying on foreign workers to fill positions.
Expressing the administration’s stance during the announcement, Vance said, “Our message to Microsoft is not that we want to harm your company… it’s that we want your company to thrive, but we want it to thrive by employing and empowering your fellow Americans.”
Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the department would stop accepting new applications and processing pending permanent labor certification applications involving the targeted companies while investigations continue.
Sonderling stated, “We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labor certification applications involving these companies.”
Microsoft defended its hiring practices, saying the vast majority of its US employees are American citizens. The company also said that approximately 80 per cent of its H-1B visa applications in the previous fiscal year involved extending or changing the status of existing employees rather than hiring new workers. Addressing its position in an official statement, Microsoft noted,
“Microsoft only files H-1B petitions for those who meet the rigorous standards of this visa category.”
The measure does not amount to a blanket suspension of the H-1B visa programme. Instead, it restricts the targeted companies’ access to the PERM process, a key route through which eligible foreign workers can obtain permanent residency in the United States.
The announcement forms part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to scrutinise employment-based immigration programmes and address allegations of visa fraud and unfair competition with American workers.
The decision was announced on Thursday, October 8, by Vice President JD Vance and officials from the US Department of Labor, who said the action was intended to protect American jobs and address alleged abuses of employment-based immigration programmes.
