Cover — Bukavu DR congo 2021

Security - 24 January 2026

DRC Army Accused of Drone Strike on Kalundu Bridge in Uvira

By Amina Kabasele3 min readFrançais

The AFC/M23 coalition has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army of carrying out a major drone attack in Uvira, South Kivu province, on the afternoon of January 14, 2026. According to AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the Congolese armed forces used unmanned aerial vehicles to bomb the Kalundu bridge in Uvira territory, causing extensive damage and putting civilian lives at risk. Photographs shared by Kanyuka on social media show a large residential building severely damaged by the strike. “In the face of these serious acts, AFC/M23 calls on citizens and the international community to bear witness to the actions of the Kinshasa government that ignore its commitments, especially the Doha principles,” Kanyuka said. The alleged strike follows another drone attack attributed to the Congolese army on January 12 in the Mukoko area of Minembwe commune and other border zones, which reportedly claimed the lives of several civilians. These developments come amid ongoing peace talks in Doha between the Congolese government and AFC/M23. The coalition accuses the government of undermining the negotiations through continued military operations. Meanwhile, President Félix Tshisekedi is reportedly working to launch a new national dialogue in Kinshasa, bringing together Congolese from all ethnic groups-a move that critics say could sideline the Doha process and its outcomes.

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