AFC/ M23 rebels have claimed responsibility for the drone attack | GhanaWeb
In a sharply worded statement issued on February 6, 2026, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, expressed deep concern over the drone strike carried out against Bangoka International Airport in Kisangani, a strategic urban centre in northeastern DRC. The attack, the AU said, seriously endangered civilian lives and constituted a grave violation of international humanitarian law.
The AU’s condemnation marks a significant escalation in the continental body’s response to the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC, where fighting between Congolese government forces and the Armed Forces of the Congo (AFC/M23) has intensified in recent months including operations far from traditional front lines.
The drone attack on the airport, claimed by M23 rebels as a tactical operation against a military command facility, was denounced by the AU as an assault not just on infrastructure but on civilian safety and regional stability. The AU chairperson’s statement underscored that, absent clear evidence that Kisangani’s airport had a strictly military purpose, it should be presumed to be civilian infrastructure protected under international law.
“Such acts are likely to give rise to individual criminal responsibility of their perpetrators and sponsors,” the AU statement added, highlighting concerns that the use of drones against urban centres could be classified as an act of terrorism under relevant African Union anti-terrorism conventions.
Although the attack did not reportedly result in major material damage, the incident has raised alarms over the expansion of hostilities beyond traditional conflict zones in eastern DRC, potentially widening the humanitarian and security impact across a broader region.
In its communiqué, the AU called on M23 to immediately cease all hostilities, renounce indiscriminate warfare tactics and comply with commitments made under ongoing peace agreements, including the Doha Agreement aimed at establishing a lasting ceasefire and political dialogue.
The continental body reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of the DRC, urging all parties involved — including rebel groups and government forces — to proceed “without delay and in good faith” with the full implementation of peace accords as essential foundations for de-escalation.
The drone strike has emerged amid a broader surge in violence in DR Congo’s east, where clashes between the FARDC (Congolese armed forces) and M23, backed by suspected external support, have continued despite multiple ceasefire initiatives and peace talks.
Kisangani far from the front lines of most fighting has become a stark example of how hostilities are spilling into urban and strategic areas, complicating diplomatic efforts and raising the prospect of broader instability. Reports indicate that the strike involved multiple unmanned aerial vehicles and was aimed at disrupting what M23 described as a military drone command centre in the airport’s vicinity.
The AU’s condemnation aligns with concerns from other international actors including the United Nations which earlier this week announced a ceasefire monitoring mission to be deployed in eastern DRC, reflecting renewed attempts to enforce peace agreements even as violence persists.
In response to the AU’s rebuke, M23 representatives have rejected the statement as biased, defending their operation as a legitimate military action and criticizing the continental body’s characterization of the attack.
