Catastrophic friendly fire: FARDC drone strike wipes out own troops
A catastrophic failure in military coordination has left DRC’s armed forces (FARDC) reeling after a CH-4 combat drone bombed positions held by its own troops and Burundian allies, killing hundreds of soldiers, including five colonels, in an operation intended to target AFC/M23 rebels and Twirwaneho fighters.
According to sources on the ground, the drone, approaching from the direction of Bujumbura on April 11, struck FARDC and Burundian National Defence Force (FDNB) positions in the villages of Kirungwa and Muramvya, in Bijombo Groupement, Uvira Territory, South Kivu Province.
The death toll was devastating. Hundreds of Congolese soldiers and members of the FDNB coalition were killed in the strike. Among the dead were five colonels including Col. Etienne Kalumuna Mishabira, the commander of the 3303rd Regiment. The loss of such high-ranking officers has further strained command structures in an already unstable battlefield environment.
In the immediate aftermath, some bodies were recovered and transported to Uvira for burial, while others were buried at the scene due to severe logistical constraints.
The incident sent shockwaves through the FARDC-led coalition, exposing persistent weaknesses in the conduct of joint operations involving advanced military technology.
Following the strike, coalition forces stationed in Kasenga, Muramvya, and Kirungwa in Uvira, as well as in Gongwa, Mitamba, Kajembwe, and Kashekebwe in Minembwe, Fizi Territory, retreated toward Uvira town.
Sources say the incident triggered a large-scale withdrawal. Units reported to have pulled back include the FARDC Panther Battalion, Simba Battalion, the 3303rd Regiment, and the 1st Battalion of Burundian forces. The retreat was ordered to prevent further accidental drone strikes.
The latest incident underscores chronic coordination failures within FARDC operations, particularly between aerial assets and ground forces.
Military analysts say such miscalculations are not isolated but part of a broader pattern of operational failures linked to the use of drones.
Another high-profile failed strike occurred in Goma on March 11. According to Congolese military intelligence reports, former President Joseph Kabila was believed to be in the city with his advisers. However, the strike ended in tragedy, killing Karine Buisset, a French UNICEF staff member.
Kinshasa has invested heavily in sophisticated military hardware but these repetitive deadly errors have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of its growing expenditure on drone warfare and other advanced weapons systems.
Earlier this year, budget minister Adolphe Muzito disclosed that the government had earmarked USD 5 billion over five years in the national budget to finance preparations for “a direct war against Kigali and the AFC/M23 rebellion.”
