Drones Over Congo: M23 Expands War, Targets Kisangani in New Offensive

The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo is taking a dangerous new form. 

What began as a ground insurgency in the east has evolved into a drone conflict that is now reaching hundreds of kilometres beyond its original frontlines, raising fears of a broader regional catastrophe.

M23 rebels and their allies in the Congo River Alliance have confirmed carrying out multiple drone strikes against Bangoka International Airport in Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo province in northeastern Congo. 

The airport, located about 17 kilometres from the city centre, serves as a critical military logistics hub for the Congolese army and a base for its aerial operations against M23 positions in the east. In attacks conducted in late January, February, and March, the rebels sent kamikaze drones loaded with submunitions toward the facility. 

Congolese authorities said ground-based air defences intercepted several of the drones before they reached their targets. One attempt came as a civilian aircraft operated by Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation was preparing to land.

M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said the strikes were targeted operations designed to destroy military drone infrastructure that the Congolese army has been using to bomb M23 positions and civilians in North and South Kivu.

According to reports seen by Visblog the  rebel group confirmed it had deployed specialized commando units near Kisangani to carry out the attacks and then withdraw  a sign that M23's reach has expanded far beyond the eastern provinces that have been the traditional theatre of the conflict.

The Congolese army, for its part, has been waging its own aerial campaign against M23. On February 24, a FARDC drone strike near Rubaya in Masisi territory killed Willy Ngoma, M23's military spokesperson, along with several senior rebel commanders. 

The Rubaya area produces roughly 15 percent of the world's coltan supply and has been a major source of revenue for the rebel group. A ceasefire brokered through the Doha process and announced in mid-February has done little to stop the fighting, with both sides continuing to accuse each other of violations.

The United Nations is watching the situation with growing alarm. Vivian van de Perre, the acting head of the UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO, told the Security Council this week that the conflict is escalating and expanding. She warned that the renewed hostilities in South Kivu are shifting front lines closer to Burundi's border, increasing the risk of a wider regional conflagration. 

She specifically cited the attacks on Kisangani airport and drone incidents in Goma town as deeply concerning emerging elements.

The conflict's expansion into Tshopo province is significant. Kisangani is Congo's fourth-largest city and sits more than 900 kilometres from Goma, the eastern city that M23 seized in early 2025. 

The fact that the rebels are now conducting operations at that distance signals either a major leap in their drone capabilities or the presence of ground elements operating deep inside territory that was previously considered well beyond their reach. The group has acknowledged both.

The security situation remains dire for civilians caught between the two forces. Hundreds of thousands remain displaced in eastern Congo, and the ceasefire that was supposed to create the conditions for a political settlement has repeatedly collapsed. 

Regional diplomacy through Angola and the African Union continues, but tangible progress remains elusive as both sides continue fighting even as they talk. The UN Security Council is expected to consider adjustments to MONUSCO's mandate in the coming weeks.