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The Congolese army has shot down an aircraft in Minembwe, near the borders with Rwanda and Burundi, which rebels claim was delivering humanitarian aid. The incident, the latest in a series of violent clashes, comes just days after a US-brokered ceasefire was signed in Washington.
The army stated it tracked the plane via radar, noting it entered Congolese airspace without permission and lacked an identification number, forcing them to take "appropriate measures." However, rebels aligned with the M23 group, which controls significant areas of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), condemned the attack as an act of "barbarity." The Twerwaneho group, which governs Minembwe and is part of the broader Congo River Alliance alongside M23, claimed the plane was carrying food rations and essential supplies, including medicines, for local residents. The alliance vowed to retaliate with "necessary measures" to protect civilians. The BBC has been unable to verify the plane’s cargo or its origin. Images circulating online, consistent with the area’s topography, show the wreckage largely destroyed by fire. Minembwe, under rebel control, relies on air access for supplies due to road blockades by the Congolese army and Burundian forces. While neither side has linked the plane to Rwanda, tensions remain high. Since February, DRC has banned Rwandan aircraft, accusing Rwanda of supporting M23—a charge Rwanda denies despite substantial evidence. The destruction of the plane underscores the fragility of the recent ceasefire, which did not directly involve M23. The rebel group prefers Qatar-mediated talks to address the conflict’s "root causes." Although Rwanda and DRC agreed to disarm their alleged proxies, numerous armed groups in the region continue to violate the truce. The conflict, escalating since M23 seized key areas like Goma and Bukavu earlier this year, has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands. Analysts note that the absence of a verification mechanism in the ceasefire deal, coupled with ongoing violence in North and South Kivu, dims hopes for lasting peace.
