The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) said Tuesday that it had shot down two drones belonging to Rwanda’s military and allied forces after they allegedly entered Congolese airspace in the country’s volatile east.
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo said the drones were intercepted in Mikenge after what it described as an illegal incursion into Congolese airspace near the Minembwe area of South Kivu province.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, the army said the drones were downed after they violated the country’s territorial sovereignty.
“This act of aggression constitutes a new provocation and a violation of the Washington Accord,” the military said, adding that its forces remain “vigilant, disciplined, and ready to defend” the country’s territorial integrity.
The incident comes amid ongoing tensions in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebel movement has captured large areas of territory over the past year.
March 23 Movement fighters currently control several key locations in the region, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, which fell to the group during major offensives in 2025.
The Congolese government, the United Nations, and Western governments have repeatedly accused neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 insurgency, an allegation Kigali has consistently denied.
Earlier this month, the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military and several senior officers, accusing them of supporting the rebel group’s operations in eastern Congo.
Rwanda rejected the sanctions, describing them as “one-sided,” and defended its military actions in the region.
Eastern Congo has been plagued by decades of conflict involving numerous armed groups competing for control of territory and mineral resources.