DRC : drones strike a market in Mushaki, AFC/M23 denounces “a massacre of civilians”

SOS Médias Burundi

Goma, May 11, 2026 – An attack carried out by a military drone, presumed to belong to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), struck the center of Mushaki, in the Masisi territory (North Kivu), on Friday, May 8, 2026. The strikes hit a bustling commercial area, killing more than 20 people and wounding more than 60, according to several local and rebel sources.

The attack triggered widespread panic in the central market, causing residents to flee to surrounding villages. Many businesses closed hastily, paralyzing an economy already weakened by the persistent insecurity in the region.

According to several local sources, the strike targeted a senior M23 officer, Brigadier General Justin Gacheri Musanga, described as the commander of operations for the Northwest Defense Zone in the Masisi territory. Witnesses claim he was attending a meeting with political leaders and the territory’s administrator at the time of the explosions.

A series of recurring attacks in Mushaki

This is the fourth reported attack in Mushaki since 2024. On January 19, 2024, a farm located on a concession belonging to former President Joseph Kabila was also targeted. Several sources at the time mentioned the use of CH-4 drones by the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo). Joseph Kabila was also sentenced to death in September 2025 by the Congolese High Military Court, notably for accusations that he was the “leader of the AFC/M23 coalition,” a controversial decision rejected by his supporters.

Further strikes were recorded on February 24, 2026, and then on March 7, 2026, targeting rebel positions in the Mushaki area and on Misekera Hill.

Canceled trips and expansion of strikes

According to several concurring sources, the governor of North Kivu, Erasto Bahati Musanga, from the rebel administration, was scheduled to travel to the area on the day of the attack, before canceling his trip at the last minute.

Locations located northwest of Goma, the capital of North Kivu and the largest city in eastern Congo, which has become the rebels’ headquarters since its fall in January 2025, as well as Rutare in South Kivu, were also reportedly hit by similar strikes.

Other attacks were reported in Lumbishi in South Kivu, as well as in Kakenke and Mikenke in the Minembwe region, where significant material damage and further population displacements were reported.

AFC/M23 denounces “war crimes”

In a statement released the same day, the Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) asserts that these bombings have killed at least 20 civilians and injured more than 57, including women and children. The movement speaks of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity,” accusing Kinshasa of targeting civilian populations.

The political coordinator of the AFC/M23, Corneille Nangaa, denounced “documented crimes,” accusing Congolese authorities and their military allies of conducting deliberate operations against civilians.

Washington calls for restraint

The U.S. State Department reacted the same day in a public statement, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and respect ceasefire commitments, without assigning blame:

“All parties must exercise maximum restraint, respect their ceasefire commitments, protect civilians, and engage in dialogue and de-escalation.”

Drones and regional expansion of the conflict

The M23 also claims to have carried out at least two attacks against the drone command center in Kisangani, a city located in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on the Congo River, in Tshopo Province.

The use of drones has become a central element of the conflict.

In recent months, military drones have become commonplace in eastern DRC despite calls for restraint from the African Union, the UN, and the United States. According to several security sources, some aircraft were deployed from Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, as well as from Kisangani.

Other strikes have been reported in several locations in North and South Kivu, with each side accusing the other.

Among the victims are the M23 military spokesperson, Colonel Willy Ngoma, killed in February 2026 in the Rubaya mining area, and a French aid worker, Karine Buisset, an employee of UNICEF, who died in a drone strike in Goma on March 11, 2026.

Civilian casualties in Minembwe

In the Minembwe region, strikes have also caused civilian casualties. In Kakenke and Mikenke, as well as in Lumbishi and Rutare, several deaths and injuries have been reported. Among theAmong the victims are a 14-year-old boy and a centenarian woman, killed in separate drone attacks, in addition to significant material damage.

MONUSCO and international concerns

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) condemned the resurgence of violence against civilians, citing dozens of deaths in several eastern provinces. It also expressed concern about recent bombings in the Kilolirwe and Mushaki areas.
A regional war with multiple actors

The M23, a former Tutsi rebellion, took up arms again in 2021 and is now part of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). The coalition is calling for a political overhaul of the DRC towards a federal model.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the group, an accusation Rwanda denies, while Rwanda in turn accuses the DRC and Burundi of supporting the FDLR, a Hutu armed group whose members are accused of involvement in crimes related to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

Despite these denials, several United Nations reports have confirmed the presence of Rwandan forces alongside the rebels. Burundi also deployed thousands of soldiers to eastern DRC between 2022 and 2025, according to security sources, operating alongside the FARDC and the Wazalendo militias supported by Kinshasa.

Rich in strategic minerals, eastern DRC has remained mired in a protracted war for three decades, involving local armed groups, regional forces, and foreign actors. Despite diplomatic efforts, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the suffering.