Highlights: In Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, at least one bomb was dropped and hit the city's airport last night. According to the Congolese army, Rwandan drones are responsible for this attack. Material damage is minor. A Sukhoi fighter plane was lightly hit according to several sources. These aircraft are regularly used to pound the positions of the M23 rebels who surround the city of Goma. For its part, Kigali has not yet reacted to these accusations.

In Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, at least one bomb was dropped and hit the city's airport last night. According to the Congolese army, Rwandan drones are responsible…

DRC: Goma airport attacked, Congolese army accuses Rwanda

In Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, at least one bomb was dropped and hit the city's airport last night. According to the Congolese army, Rwandan drones are responsible for this attack which lightly hit at least one Congolese fighter plane. An attack that did not disrupt air traffic

Congolese soldiers pass in front of Goma airport, in North Kivu. (illustrative image) AFP - ALEXIS HUGUET

By: RFI Follow

With our special correspondent in Goma,

Coralie Pierret

During the night from Friday to Saturday February 17, drones targeted Congolese aircraft, explains the army spokesperson in North Kivu. Material damage is minor. A Sukhoi fighter plane was lightly hit according to several sources. These aircraft are regularly used to pound the positions of the M23 rebels who surround the city of Goma.

For the Congolese army, the perpetrators of the attack are known. Colonel Guillaume Njike blamed Rwandan drones for the shots targeting Goma airport. Drones leaving neighboring territory “

in violation of territorial limits

”, assures the officer. For its part, Kigali has not yet reacted to these accusations.

The spokesperson who does not specify how many shots took place or the details of the damage. But this Saturday, the airport was operating normally.

This attack takes place in an extremely tense security context. The M23 rebels, supported and supported by Kigali according to several reports by independent experts and those of the UN, occupy several positions around thirty kilometers from the city center of Goma. And almost every day since the beginning of February, clashes have pitted the rebellion against the Congolese army and its allies, the Wazalendo militias.

In addition to the fighting, diplomatic tensions. This Saturday, Rwandan and Congolese presidents Paul Kagame and Felix Thisekedi participated in a mini-summit in Addis Ababa whose objective was to defuse the impasse in which the region has found itself since the end of 2021. But the two heads of state have not met.

DRC: Goma airport attacked, Congolese army accuses Rwanda

DRC: Goma airport attacked, Congolese army accuses Rwanda

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