Bicholin K Musisi |GOMA| — The March 23 Movement has confirmed carrying out a second drone strike of the northeastern Congolese city of Kisangani, deepening concerns about a widening theatre of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a communiqué issued under its political umbrella, the Alliance Fleuve Congo, the group said its forces conducted what it described as a “targeted operation” on the outskirts of Kisangani to destroy combat drones it alleged were being prepared by Congolese coalition forces for attacks on civilian areas and rebel positions.

“In response to this real threat, our forces deployed at the outskirts of the city of Kisangani conducted a targeted operation to neutralise and destroy drones that were about to be launched,” said the rebels on Monday night.

The announcement follows an earlier strike near Kisangani airport in late January, also claimed by the rebels, which drew condemnation from the African Union. 

The AU Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said last week that attacks on major urban infrastructure could violate international humanitarian law and risk escalating the conflict beyond its traditional front lines.

Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo province, lies hundreds of kilometres west of the main M23 battle zones in North and South Kivu. 

It is a strategic logistics hub along the Congo River and a key node for military and commercial traffic in northeastern Congo.

The confirmation of a second strike near the city signals a potential geographic expansion of hostilities, raising fears that fighting could spread beyond the mineral-rich eastern provinces where M23 has made significant territorial gains over the past year.

Kinshasa has not immediately commented on the latest claim.

The government has previously accused M23, which it says is backed by Rwanda, of deploying advanced weapons systems, including drones and long-range artillery, during its offensives. Rwanda denies supporting the group.

Escalating Drone Warfare

The back-to-back strikes underscore the growing prominence of drone warfare in eastern Congo’s conflict. 

Both sides have accused the other of using unmanned aerial systems to target military positions and densely populated areas.

In its latest statement, M23 accused Congolese forces and allied militias of carrying out “indiscriminate bombardments” using combat drones against civilian populations. The rebels said their operation near Kisangani was defensive and aimed at preventing imminent attacks.

Independent verification of the claims remains difficult due to restricted access to affected zones.

Regional diplomats and United Nations officials have warned that the proliferation of drones, often operated with external technical assistance, increases the risk of civilian harm and complicates ceasefire monitoring mechanisms.

The renewed escalation comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions in the Great Lakes region. 

The United States yesterday imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s national army and several senior officers over alleged support to M23, an accusation Kigali has rejected. 

The measures have added pressure to fragile mediation efforts aimed at restoring a ceasefire and reviving political dialogue.