The AFC/M23 has declared that the Congolese government’s air superiority in eastern DR Congo is “over,” announcing a new military posture it says is aimed at preventing further aerial attacks against civilians in the Hauts Plateaux of South Kivu. ALSO READ: South Kivu: AFC/M23 warns of “imminent genocide” against Banyamulenge civilians Announcing via his official X account on Tuesday, AFC/M23 coordinator Corneille Nangaa accused the Kinshasa regime of orchestrating violence against civilian populations in Minembwe and nearby areas, citing the use of fighter jets, combat drones and allied forces amid an ongoing internet blackout. “The wave of violence orchestrated since January 22 against the populations of Minembwe and the Hauts Plateaux marks the moral and strategic bankruptcy of the Kinshasa regime,” Nangaa said. Minembwe is located in South Kivu Province. ALSO READ: Sange: DR Congo army blamed for grenade attack that killed five He alleged that Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and allies including the FDLR genocidal militia, Burundian troops, foreign mercenaries and other local militias have carried out coordinated operations targeting civilians, supported by air assets including Sukhoi aircraft and drones. According to Nangaa, these operations have been conducted while communications in the region remain shut down, isolating civilians from from the outside world and obscuring the scale of the humanitarian crisis. “The combined use of combat aircraft, drones and ground coalition forces against civilians, under cover of the internet blackout, will not go unanswered,” he said. ALSO READ: DR Congo: Twirwaneho warns of govt attacks on Uvira, Minembwe highlands In a notable escalation of rhetoric, the AFC/M23 leader said the movement had issued a warning concerning Kisangani airport, which he described as a rear base used to project air power against areas under AFC/M23 control. “The monopoly on technological terror is definitively broken,” Nangaa said, adding that the warning sent over Kisangani had drawn a red line and rendered the government’s air-based strategy “obsolete.” He announced what he termed the activation of a “doctrine of preemptive defense,” under which the movement says it will move to neutralize any aerial threats directed at civilian populations in what it calls “liberated zones.” The rebel group controls large parts of the provinces of North and South Kivu. “From now on, any aerial vector deployed against the populations of the liberated zones will be neutralized at its source,” Nangaa said. “The use of Kisangani as a platform for projecting terror against our territories is now prohibited.” The statement signals a significant shift whereby the rebel group says it can no longer rely on diplomatic commitments alone to protect civilians amid continued violence on the ground. Dialogue still possible, says Nangaa Despite the strong warning, Nangaa said the movement remains open to political dialogue, placing responsibility for further escalation on the Congolese authorities. “If (President) Tshisekedi wants dialogue, we are ready to engage,” he said. “But if he wants war, let him accept to bear all the consequences.” The declaration comes amid heightened tensions in South Kivu, following AFC/M23’s recent warning that Banyamulenge civilians face what it described as an imminent risk of genocide due to sustained attacks, humanitarian blockades and forced displacement. While ceasefire commitments have been reaffirmed through regional and international mechanisms, AFC/M23 maintains that continued military operations, particularly aerial strikes, undermine those efforts and endanger civilian lives.
