DRC : a military drone shoots down a humanitarian plane in Minembwe – AFC denounces a « war crime » against the Banyamulenge

SOS Médias Burundi
Bukavu, July 1, 2025 — A civilian plane carrying medicines was shot down by a Congolese military drone as it approached the Kiziba airstrip (Minembwe), in Fizi territory, South Kivu province. The incident, which occurred on Monday, June 30, injured two civilians on the ground, including a child. On board, the two pilots survived, with one receiving minor injuries.
According to several witnesses, the plane initially missed its landing before hitting trees and crashing in Uwigishigo, about two kilometers from the runway. However, local sources suggest that a military drone strike targeted the wreckage nearly 24 hours after the crash, causing an explosion after the humanitarian mission had already ended.
The exact identity and origin of the aircraft have not been made public. This was its third flight to Minembwe since the beginning of the year. In this landlocked region, air transport often remains the only means of delivering humanitarian aid amid persistent insecurity and community tensions.
An attack in the midst of a truce
The incident comes just three days after the signing of a ceasefire between the DRC and Rwanda, mediated by the United States, on June 27 in Washington. This agreement aimed to ease regional tensions. However, this strike – the fourth reported in Minembwe and Mikenge since February 2025 – is causing serious concern among the local population.
Congolese military officials suspected the aircraft of delivering weapons to the Twirwaneho armed group, composed of members of the Banyamulenge community, but no evidence has been provided at this stage.
AFC calls it a « war crime »
In a statement published on June 30, the Congo River Alliance (AFC) vigorously condemned this attack, calling it a « heinous crime » and « unspeakable barbarity. »
The AFC, a politico-military movement allied with the M23, has established itself since the beginning of the year in several provincial capitals of North and South Kivu, as well as in important strategic mining areas in eastern DRC. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting this former Tutsi rebellion, which was revived in late 2021 after criticizing the Congolese government for not respecting agreements on the reintegration of its fighters. Kigali categorically denies any support.
The AFC accuses Kinshasa of knowingly violating the ceasefire and targeting the Banyamulenge community as part of an « ethnic cleansing » it claims began in 2017.
« This crime not only caused human losses, it also destroyed basic necessities, including medicines, » laments AFC spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka.
The movement also accuses the Congolese authorities of collusion with the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR – composed of Hutu elements who committed genocide), and Wazalendo militias supported by Kinshasa and often accused of abuses in the region.
An appeal to the international community
The AFC demands an immediate end to attacks against the Banyamulenge and warns that these acts will not go unpunished. The movement also calls on the international community to conduct an independent investigation into this incident, which it describes as a « war crime. »
The Banyamulenge, herders living in eastern DRC, are often perceived by other Congolese communities as Rwandan nationals due to their language, which is similar to Kinyarwanda. They denounce long-standing persecution. Since the resurgence of the M23, Rwandan-speaking communities in the DRC have been regularly accused, along with Rwanda, of supporting the rebels. The UN has warned of growing hate speech targeting these populations and worrying incitement to public violence. It has called on Kinshasa to put an end to this. Rwandan President Paul Kagame, for his part, criticized what he called the international community’s « ambiguous stance » on this situation.
FARDC confirms interception of unidentified aircraft
In a statement released Monday evening, the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) stated that they had detected an unidentified aircraft that had illegally entered the Congolese airspace without authorization. According to the army, after the usual checks, « appropriate measures were taken to guarantee the security of our airspace and preserve the national integrity, » without specifying whether the aircraft was directly shot down by their forces.
A contested version
Moïse Nyarugabo, a former national parliamentarian and influential figure in the Banyamulenge community, refutes the official version. He claims that the plane was carrying only medicines and medical supplies for populations in humanitarian need.
The administrator of the Fizi territory, Samy Badibanga, disputes this statement. According to him, all legal humanitarian aid passes through authorized channels such as the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), Médecins du Monde, and local health zones.
« All pharmaceutical products first pass through the Fizi administrative center. No direct deliveries to Minembwe are authorized without prior coordination, » he recalled, quoted by our colleagues at Radio Okapi.