The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has acknowledged that one of its military aircraft flew over Rwandan airspace on Monday and stressed that it «never intended» to violate the neighboring country’s airspace.
«The Government of DRC has learned that during a reconnaissance flight by the Congolese Air Force, an unarmed Congolese Sukhoi-25 type aircraft flew unfortunately over Rwandan airspace on the border between the two countries,» the Congolese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
«The government likewise reaffirms that, just as it defends its territorial integrity, DRC has never had any intention of violating that of its neighbors,» it said, after Rwanda accused Kinshasa of a «provocation» over the incident, amid bilateral tensions over the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group.
Kigali stressed that the plane «violated Rwandan airspace» and «landed briefly at Rubavu airport in Western province.» «Rwanda took no military action in response,» he said, before confirming the lodging of a formal protest with the DRC.
The incident has come a day after Kinshasa and Kigali agreed to accelerate as much as possible the agreement to ease bilateral tension over M23 activity in northeastern Congo, amid Congolese accusations against Rwanda over its alleged support for the group.
Rwanda has denied the accusations and pointed the finger at the Congolese government for backing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebel movement, in a crisis fueled by a major M23 advance in North Kivu territories that culminated last week in the expulsion of the Rwandan ambassador to DRC, Vincent Karenga.
The M23 has been accused since November 2021 of carrying out attacks against DRC Army positions in North Kivu, seven years after the parties reached a truce. UN experts have accused Uganda and Rwanda of supporting the rebels, although both countries have denied this.
