DRC claims to have downed two Rwandan drones
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Otaria Benjamin- 0
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The DRC, under President Felix Tshisekedi, accuses Rwanda of backing M23 rebel group, an allegation Kigali denies. / Reuters
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military said on Tuesday it intercepted and destroyed two drones it attributed to the Rwandan armed forces over eastern Congolese airspace.
The army said the aircraft were brought down in Mikenge after breaching the airspace near the Minembwe area. The drones were downed in Mikenge “after they illegally violated Congolese airspace in the Minembwe area,” FARDC said on X. Describing the incident as a provocation and a breach of the Washington Accord signed between the two countries on December 4.
Kigali had not responded to the claim at the time of publication.
The incident comes as M23 rebels continue to expand their hold across South Kivu province despite the December agreement. The group seized the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu earlier in 2025 and retains control of significant territory in the east.
Kinshasa and the United Nations have repeatedly accused Rwanda of arming and supporting M23. Rwanda denies the allegations.
Washington imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military and four senior officers on March 2 over their alleged backing of the rebel group. Kigali rejected the measures as one-sided.
SOURCE: AA
