Minembwe: FARDC Drone Strikes Continue to Raise Concerns as Resident Reveals What Is Happening in the Pastures
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)
A resident of Minembwe has expressed serious concerns over the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), saying their attacks continue to put civilians at risk, particularly cattle herders grazing their livestock in different parts of the region.
In a message sent to Minembwe Capital News (MCN), the resident called on the international community to intervene in seeking a solution to the situation. He urged international actors to exert pressure on the authorities in Kinshasa to halt drone strikes in civilian-populated areas and pastures where cattle are grazed.
The resident referred to a drone attack carried out in the Gihuha area on Saturday, November 7, 2026, stating that on the previous day, Friday, the same aircraft had reportedly targeted cattle grazing in the pastures, killing several cattle and injuring others.
He said: “In Gihuha, yesterday, a drone dropped bombs towards an area where civilians were going about their normal activities of herding cattle.”
He further explained that these attacks have made it increasingly difficult for herders to graze their cattle freely, as they fear that wherever their cattle are taken, they could become targets of further attacks.
He said: “The drone is causing us serious difficulties. It prevents us from grazing our cattle freely. Wherever we take our cattle, it attacks us. Before dropping bombs on us yesterday, it first targeted our cattle. Many cattle were killed, while many others were injured on Friday.”
The resident stated that such attacks were not occurring for the first time, stressing that FARDC drones frequently carry out strikes in areas inhabited by civilians or used for cattle grazing. He said the continued attacks have created insecurity among residents and disrupted their daily activities.
In his message, he also reported that the drone strike carried out on Saturday killed civilians and injured others. However, he did not provide the number of people killed or injured.
Information received by MCN indicates that the attack took place at approximately 3:30 p.m. local time.
Gihuha is an area located near Biziba, in the Minembwe region, South Kivu Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is among the areas where residents, particularly members of the Banyamulenge community, raise cattle through a traditional pastoral practice known as “gusuhura.”
The resident’s allegations have once again highlighted concerns over the safety of civilians in Minembwe, particularly cattle herders whose livelihoods and daily activities may be disrupted by military strikes carried out in areas where they live or graze their cattle.
He is calling on the international community to take action to protect civilians and urging the authorities in Kinshasa to stop drone attacks in populated areas and pastures used for cattle grazing.
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)