FARDC Continues Relentless Bombardment of Minembwe

Reports from Minembwe in South Kivu indicate that since around 8 a.m. this morning, coalition forces allied with the government in Kinshasa have continued launching drone strikes on the town’s densely populated center.

In a statement, the AFC/M23 movement said the attacks involved suicide drones and described them as “indiscriminate and criminal strikes deliberately targeting civilians,” claiming that several residents have been killed while many others have fled their homes in fear.

The group added that, out of respect for the victims and their families, it had chosen not to circulate graphic images from the aftermath of the strikes.

AFC/M23 further stressed that the blood of Congolese civilians shed under the leadership of President Félix Tshisekedi “will not be forgotten and will not pass without consequence.”

Minembwe has recently seen rising tensions and fighting, with the use of drones becoming an increasingly reported tactic in clashes between armed groups and government-aligned forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Local residents say the deteriorating security situation has forced many civilians to flee to safer areas.