AFC/M23 Strike Reportedly Destroys D-4 Anti-Drone System at Kisangani Airport
The rebel alliance AFC/M23 has reportedly carried out a major strike on military installations at Bangoka International Airport in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, targeting what sources described as a key operational center used by the Congolese military coalition to coordinate drone warfare against rebel-held territories.
According to information, the attack specifically targeted infrastructure linked to aerial operations, including drone launch and coordination facilities allegedly used by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and allied forces.
The strike also reportedly destroyed a D-4 anti-drone defense system positioned at the airport. Images circulating online after the attack appear to show the system heavily damaged.
The D-4 system, developed by India’s state-owned defense company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), is an integrated counter-drone platform designed to detect, track and neutralize hostile unmanned aerial vehicles. According to BEL and defense reports, the system combines radar surveillance, electro-optical sensors, radio-frequency jamming capabilities and laser-based interception technology.
Defense analysts describe the D-4 as capable of identifying micro and small drones through a combination of 360-degree radar coverage, RF detection systems and infrared-optical tracking. The platform can neutralize drones using both “soft kill” methods — such as GPS and communication jamming — and “hard kill” measures including directed-energy laser weapons.
Reports published in 2025 indicated that the Congolese military had acquired D-4 anti-drone systems from BEL as part of efforts to strengthen air defense capabilities amid escalating conflict in eastern Congo.
The attack on Kisangani comes after months of accusations by AFC/M23 that the Congolese military coalition has been using the airport as a strategic hub for drone and fighter jet operations targeting areas under rebel control.
In recent months, drone strikes allegedly launched from Kisangani have targeted areas including Minembwe, Masisi, Rubaya and Rumangabo in North and South Kivu provinces.
Sources have previously indicated that specialized drone operators and aerial warfare personnel had been deployed at the airport with support from foreign military advisers cooperating with FARDC.
AFC/M23 has repeatedly accused the Congolese military coalition of carrying out drone strikes that caused civilian casualties in areas near active frontlines.
Kisangani remains one of the Congolese military’s most strategic logistical and aerial operation centers due to its airport’s role in transporting troops, military hardware and coordinating air operations across eastern Congo.
