Congo rebel leader claims responsibility for drone attack on strategic northeast airport
· Daily Maverick
The African Union‑backed Front for the Liberation of the Congo (AFC) and its splinter group M23, which has been active in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 2013, announced that it had carried out a drone strike on the Kisangani International Airport, the main aviation hub for the city of Kisangani in the Ituri province. In a statement released by the rebel leadership, the attack was described as a “warning to the government” and a demonstration of the rebels’ growing technical capabilities. The drone reportedly struck the airport’s terminal area, causing minor structural damage but no casualties, according to local security officials. The DRC government has condemned the attack as a violation of national sovereignty and has called for an international investigation, while the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) has increased its presence in the region to deter further insurgent activity.
Kisangani, situated on the Congo River and a key logistical node for the transport of minerals and humanitarian aid, has long been a flashpoint in the DRC’s protracted conflict. The M23 movement, which originally emerged from a faction of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), has been linked to the 2012–2013 insurgency that toppled President Joseph Kabila’s administration. Since 2021, the group has been reconstituted under the AFC banner, with a stated aim of protecting the rights of the Tutsi minority in the eastern provinces. The drone attack marks the first time the rebels have claimed use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the conflict, raising concerns about the potential for escalation and the involvement of external actors. Analysts note that the incident could prompt a reassessment of security protocols at other strategic sites across the DRC, as well as a renewed push for diplomatic engagement to address the underlying grievances that fuel the insurgency.
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