The leader of a rebel group in Congo has taken responsibility for a drone attack on a key airport in the northeast region
The leader of the AFC/M23 rebel movement in the Democratic Republic of Congo has taken responsibility for a drone attack aimed at the airport that serves the strategically important northeastern city of Kisangani, characterizing it as a warning to the government.
The provincial government reported that eight drones, equipped with explosives, were launched at the airport over the weekend but were intercepted and shot down before they could reach their intended target.
The airport is located approximately 17 km (10 miles) from central Kisangani, situated hundreds of kilometres away from the front lines in the North and South Kivu provinces. Since 2022, AFC/M23 has taken control of significant areas, including the crucial cities of Goma and Bukavu, during a rapid offensive last year.
In a statement shared on X late Tuesday, rebel leader Corneille Nangaa indicated that the operation in Kisangani demonstrated a breach in the “air superiority” of Congo’s armed forces and cautioned that any aircraft deployed against rebel-held regions would now be targeted “at their source”.
“The utilization of Kisangani as a means to instill fear in our regions is now forbidden.” “The sanctuary of this rear base is finished,” he stated.
On Tuesday, requests for comment from a spokesperson for Congo’s government and a spokesperson for the army went unanswered.
In a statement released on X early Wednesday, AFC/M23 indicated that the airport in Kisangani functioned as the “primary hub” for assaults on rebel positions and civilians in areas controlled by rebels.
AFC/M23 expressed its commitment to achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Congo and urged Kinshasa to uphold the ceasefire.
Advancements in Ceasefire Monitoring
Nangaa’s statement followed the agreement reached in Doha, where Congo’s government and AFC/M23, with Qatari mediation, decided on the deployment of the initial U.N. team tasked with monitoring a ceasefire.
He charged that Congo’s army and its allied militias have escalated their attacks in South Kivu’s highlands since January 22, claiming they employed Sukhoi jets and combat drones against civilians in Minembwe and nearby regions.
Bertrand Bisimwa, a prominent political figure within the AFC/M23, released a distinct statement on X on Tuesday, asserting that if Congolese military aircraft persisted in flying over what the rebels refer to as “liberated territory,” they would face destruction from their respective bases.
