CONFLICT ZONE: Democratic Republic of Congo

A battle for aerial control

Updated On: Feb 10 2026 | 3:15 AM IST

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Congolese soldiers guard a military vehicle in Muadiamvita, North Kivu, in February 2025 (Photo: Reuters)

At the beginning of 2026, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) used attack drones to bomb militia sites near Minembwe in the South Kivu province, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

They were repelling a military offensive by the March 23 Movement (M23), a group of Rwanda-backed rebels, that began in December 2025.

Although the M23 claimed to withdraw from Uvira following a United States-brokered peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda in late 2025, heavy fighting persists. After over 30 years of armed conflict and violence in the DR Congo, the military situation remains volatile. Mobilisation for the “war effort” continues, with the DRC government formalising the Support and Development Fund for the armed forces in December 2025.

The conflict features modern and advanced technologies owing to a significant shift towards aerial power and electronic warfare, including FARDC’s use of Chinese-made combat drones, anti-aircraft systems, and unmanned vehicles. Also, many militias are primarily using Soviet-era weapons and an illicit arsenal flowing from regional players, such as heavy artillery, armoured vehicles and tanks, and

small arms.

The lead picture spotlights the FARDC’s Kamaz-53949 Typhoon-K, a Russian-developed mine-resistant ambush-protected armoured vehicle, in the North Kivu province in 2025.

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The FARDC’s Chinese-made CH-4B Rainbow combat drone, which was reportedly downed by rebels in late 2025 (Photo: US Odin)

The second picture features one of the FARDC’s nine Chinese-made CH-4B Rainbow long-endurance combat drones. Two such drones were reportedly intercepted by M23 rebels in November 2025.

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An armed M23 rebel at the Grande Barrier border amid clashes, in Rwanda, in January 2025 (Photo: Reuters)

The third picture shows an M23 rebel soldier with a firearm, likely to be an AK variant or a Chinese Type 56 assault rifle, at the DRC-Rwanda Grande Barrier border in early 2025.

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The Russian-made Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft, belonging to the FARDC, which was seized by M23 rebels at Goma airport, in January 2025 (Photo: TASS)

The fourth picture highlights FARDC’s Russian-made Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft, which M23 rebels seized in Goma last year. The jet specialises in providing close air support and ground-attack missions.

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Abandoned rocket-propelled grenades of the FARDC lie at Goma airport in March 2025 (Photo: Reuters)

The last picture showcases the abandoned rocket-propelled grenades of the FARDC at the Goma airport in early 2025. The United Nations reported a dangerous escalation in the use of explosive weapons and devices, especially in the Kivu region.

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Written BY :

Jaisal Kaur

First Published: Feb 10 2026 | 3:15 AM IST

In this article : Congo protests