Drone strike in eastern DR Congo kills senior rebel official amid escalating tensions скачать в хорошем качестве

Drone strike in eastern DR Congo kills senior rebel official amid escalating tensions

(24 Feb 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ++STARTS AND ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE++ ASSOCIATED PRESS Kinshasa, DR Congo – 24 February 2026 1. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Moleka, coordinator of Dypol Think Tank: “Willy Ngoma's death comes amid fighting (between the Congolese army and M23 rebels) around the Rubaya coltan mine, which has recently been listed among the strategic assets presented (by the Congolese government) to the Americans (Trump administration). So in this context, where the M23 relies heavily on the Rubaya mine to keep itself financially afloat, losing Rubaya (mine) and the "decapitation" of Willy Ngoma would be a (hard) blow to the rebellion.” ++BLACK FRAMES++ 2. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Moleka, coordinator of Dypol Think Tank: “The strike would take place at night, between 2 and 3 a.m., which suggests that it (the government) has sufficient information about the movements of the M23 rebel authorities and therefore, at this stage, it (the death of Willy Ngoma) may constitute a major element of pressure on the hierarchy (of M23) on the ground and the impact may also have psychological repercussions on the troops (of the rebellion).” ++BLACK FRAMES++ 3. SOUNDBITE (French) Christian Moleka, coordinator of Dypol Think Tank: “The other consequence may be a radicalization of the rebellion, as they have long decried Kinshasa's violation of the ceasefire, so the assassination or death of their leader could be a tipping point, meaning that the M23 could abandon its (current) defensive stance and trigger a resumption of hostilities.” STORYLINE: A spokesperson for the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels fighting in eastern Congo has been killed in a drone strike, a local U.N. official and a rights group said Tuesday, escalating tensions over the region's conflict after peace negotiations stalled. Willy Ngoma, a senior officer who was deeply involved in M23's operations in eastern Congo, was said to have been killed in a predawn drone strike near the North Kivu province’s mining town of Rubaya. The local U.N. official and a coordinator with the rights group working in the area spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity for fear of their lives. Residents told the AP that the drone strike targeted an area that has in recent weeks served as an enclave for the M23. The decades-long conflict escalated in January last year after the rebels made an unprecedented advance into the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, further expanding their control of several cities and towns in the hard-hit region. It wasn't immediately clear who carried out the drone strike. Despite peace efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatar, clashes have continued in recent weeks between the rebels and the Congolese forces, joined by the local Wazalendo militia group. "The strike would take place at night, between 2 and 3 a.m., which suggests that it (the government) has sufficient information about the movements of the M23 rebel authorities and therefore, at this stage, it (the death of Willy Ngoma) may constitute a major element of pressure on the hierarchy (of M23) on the ground and the impact may also have psychological repercussions on the troops (of the rebellion)”, said Christian Moleka, analyst and coordinator of Dypol a Congolese Think Tank. M23 and Congolese authorities didn't immediately respond to an inquiry. Both parties have accused each other of violating terms of a ceasefire reached with the help of foreign and regional partners. =========================================================== Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...