African Union chairperson condemns M23 drone attack on Kisangani airport

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, on Friday condemned a drone attack claimed by the armed group AFC/M23 targeting Kisangani Airport in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“The attack, directed against airport infrastructure in a major urban centre and gravely endangering civilian populations, constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” Youssouf said in a statement.

He warned that the strike could “amount to terrorism” under African Union conventions, stressing that non-state armed groups “cannot invoke any political, security or military justification to legitimize acts that target or endanger civilians or civilian infrastructure.”

Youssouf also cautioned against the “expansion of hostilities” to cities far from active front lines, saying this risked further escalation of the conflict and a worsening humanitarian crisis. He urged AFC/M23 to “immediately halt hostilities, renounce indiscriminate means” of warfare, and honour commitments under the Doha Agreement to pave the way for a ceasefire and renewed political dialogue.

Local authorities in the DRC said last week that eight explosive-laden drones were launched over the weekend in an attempted strike on Bangoka International Airport, which serves the northeastern city of Kisangani. The drones were intercepted before reaching the airport, and no injuries or damage were reported.

Provincial officials in Tshopo province blamed the attack on the AFC/M23 rebel group and accused neighbouring Rwanda of involvement. The drones were described as suicide aircraft carrying non-conventional payloads composed of multiple sub-munitions.

An AFC/M23 spokesperson initially declined to comment on the allegations. However, the group later acknowledged responsibility for the attempted strike. In a statement posted on X, rebel leader Corneille Nangaa said the attack was intended as a warning to the Congolese government, claiming it demonstrated that the country’s armed forces had lost “air superiority.”

Nangaa warned that aircraft used in operations against rebel-held areas would now be targeted “at their source,” adding: “The use of Kisangani as a platform for projecting terror against our territories is now prohibited.” The rebel group asserted that Kisangani’s airport functions as the “primary hub” for air operations against its positions and civilians in areas under its control.

Multiple sources confirmed that a drone attack occurred near the airport, though the exact models used remain unclear. Some sources suggested the drones were short-range systems. Kisangani, located far from the main conflict zones in North and South Kivu, has gained strategic importance in recent months as a forward hub for Congolese military aircraft operating in the east.

The attempted strike comes amid faltering diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. The two countries signed a U.S.-mediated peace agreement in Washington in December 2025 aimed at ending decades of conflict in eastern Congo and stabilising the Great Lakes region. However, the deal has struggled to yield tangible results, with both sides accusing each other of violations as fighting continues.

Frustration is also growing in Washington, where lawmakers are considering possible sanctions against Rwanda over its alleged role in the conflict, increasing pressure on the United States to prevent the peace accord from collapsing.