FARDC drone strike on humanitarian plane kills child in Minembwe

A FARDC drone strike hit a humanitarian aircraft this morning at around 10:00 a.m. in Minembwe, South Kivu, killing a Munyamulenge child and destroying vital medical supplies destined for local health centers.

The light plane, reportedly carrying pharmaceutical products to facilities facing critical shortages, was completely destroyed.

Among the casualties was a child identified as Bisetsa Byibagiza Ndasumbwa. Humanitarian organizations say the aircraft was clearly marked and unarmed.

The strike comes just hours after the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a peace agreement with Rwanda in Washington, awaiting formal signing of a peace treaty with M23 in Doha, Qatar.

The timing has raised serious concerns about the government’s commitment to broader peace, especially in areas populated by the Banyamulenge.

In recent weeks, Mai-Mai Wazalendo militias supported and equipped by Government have repeatedly blocked aid to Banyamulenge communities, accusing NGOs of “supporting Rwandan Tutsis.”

A Médecins du Monde vehicle was recently intercepted and turned back by fighters loyal to General Yakutumba. Families attempting to evacuate the sick to Uvira have also been attacked or blocked.

Rights groups say these acts are part of a larger pattern of persecution and ethnic exclusion targeting the Banyamulenge, often labeled as “foreigners” despite being Congolese.

The drone strike, they argue, is not an isolated incident but a symbol of a broader strategy to deny healthcare and basic rights.

The attack is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and casts a shadow over ongoing peace efforts in the region.

Humanitarian agencies and rights advocates are calling for an urgent investigation and international action to ensure protection for civilians and medical missions.