More than 150 female prisoners were raped and burned to death during a jailbreak last week when fleeing male inmates set fire to a prison in Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a United Nations spokesperson has said.

MORE than 100 women were raped and burned alive during a jailbreak in the wartorn city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations reported today. The attack took place as hundreds of prisoners broke out from the Munzenze prison on Monday as soldiers from the Rwandan-backed M23 militia began taking over the city.

At least 165 women were raped by male inmates during a mass breakout from a prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the United Nations.

Hundreds of female prisoners were raped and burned alive during a jailbreak in the Congolese city of Goma. On January 27, hundreds of prisoners broke out of Munzenze prison, after the M23 rebel group began to take over the city.

Footage from the jailbreak shows people fleeing from the building as black smoke rises into the air More than 100 female prisoners were raped and then burned alive during a jailbreak in the Congolese city of Goma,

The people of Goma in North Kivu are still trying to come to terms with the fallout of the conflict in DR Congo so far. FRANCE 24's correspondent in Goma, Emmet Livingston has more.

Hundreds of female inmates were raped and burned alive as rebels stormed the Congolese city of Goma, United Nations officials said

The Rwanda-backed group known as M23 is believed to have been responsible for the incident following its takeover of the city of Goma