Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat has condemned a drone attack by the rebel coalition "Alliance of the Congo River" (AFC) and the "March 23 Movement" (M23) on Bangoka International Airport, located in the Tshopo province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This is stated in an AU press release published on February 6.
"The Chairperson of the African Union Commission ... expresses his deepest concern and strongly condemns the drone attack on Kisangani Airport in the east of the DRC, which has been claimed by the armed movement AFC/M23. The Chairperson underscores that this attack ... constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law," the statement reads.
Mahamat called on the rebels to cease attacks on civilian infrastructure in the DRC. He also reminded all parties to the conflict of the need to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire agreement reached earlier in February in Doha.
At the end of January, eight drones attempted to attack Bangoka Airport in the DRC. According to a statement from the provincial government, the country's air defense forces destroyed the drones, and none reached their target. AFC/M23 later claimed responsibility for the attack.
Earlier in February, the government of the DRC and the rebels signed a document in Doha, the capital of Qatar, outlining the terms of a ceasefire in eastern DRC, which includes the deployment of a UN-led monitoring mission to the conflict zones.