KISANGANI — Multiple drone strikes struck Bangboka airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Tshopo province on Sunday evening and again early Monday, local authorities confirmed Monday. Nine explosions were reported between Sunday at 5:30 pm and early Monday morning. Two flights were canceled. No casualties have been reported so far, though the full extent of material damage is still being assessed.
It is the fourth time the airport — used by government aircraft and UN peacekeepers — has been targeted in recent months. Investigators suspect weaponised drones, officials said, though no group has formally claimed responsibility.
The strikes come amid a deepening collapse of the ceasefire agreement reached in April in Switzerland between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 rebel movement. Both sides have repeatedly violated the truce, trading accusations over drone attacks on positions in North Kivu.
M23 accused government forces of carrying out strikes on its positions in Rumangabo — home to Virunga National Park headquarters — the Rubaya mining area in Masisi, and parts of Minembwe. The group said buildings were hit and civilians killed. Neither side has acknowledged responsibility for the latest attacks.
A UN peacekeeping mission spokesperson condemned a “wave of deadly attacks targeting civilians” in eastern Congo, including a separate strike in the Mushaki area. The United States also denounced attacks on civilian areas, without assigning blame.
Drones have become the defining weapon of the conflict. Congolese forces, long outmatched on the ground by M23 fighters, have acquired Turkish and Chinese attack drones to strike rebel positions. M23 has deployed its own drones, targeting government-held airports and infrastructure. The use of unmanned aerial systems has escalated sharply since early 2025, when Rwanda-backed M23 seized the key cities of Goma and Bukavu.
The international contact group for the Great Lakes region — including Belgium, France, the United States and the European Union — condemned the growing use of drones by all actors and the rising civilian death toll in eastern Congo.
The region has been plagued by conflict for more than three decades. The latest strikes underline the fragility of any negotiated settlement and the escalating threat drones pose to both military and civilian infrastructure.
— Amara Osei, | May 25, 2026