Rebels Seize Tanks and Su-25s in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Congolese rebels of the March 23 Movement captured a Su-25 attack aircraft, as well as a large number of armored vehicles and artillery, including the Ukrainian-made Bastion system.

The footage of the trophy equipment was published by the reporters of the Rwandan edition of RBA Digital, who managed to get into the rebel-held city of Goma.

Having driven the government forces out of the besieged border town on August 30, the militants took control of key positions and the Mpuzamahanga airport, located in the middle of the construction site, where troops and Congolese combat aircraft were stationed.

It is reported that during the operation to capture Goma, which had lasted three days, the March 23 Movement fighters had been confronted by Hibu special forces and the Congolese Guard. About 480 people were taken prisoner.

The most significant trophy was a Su-25 attack aircraft based at the captured airport. At one time, six of these aircraft were supplied by Russia. Together with Mi-24 helicopters, they make up the combat component of the DR Congo’s aviation.

Militants also managed to capture a significant arsenal of armored vehicles. The operators showed about a dozen BATT UMG armored vehicles, two T-55 tanks in unknown condition and a large number of off-road vehicles.

Among the artillery, two old Soviet-era 12 mm M-30 howitzers and 122 mm D-30 howitzer were spotted. In addition, a Bastion multiple rocket launcher system on the KrAZ chassis, manufactured by the Shepetivka Repair Plant, was captured in working order.

In the hangars of the air base, journalists caught a glimpse of shipping containers with Belarusian Berkut-BM decoy drones.

War in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

After taking control of the small town of Sake, Rwandan-backed militants launched an operation on April 27 to surround the key regional city of Goma, 27 kilometers east, and its airport.

On the first day, Congolese authorities blocked access to the airport and canceled all flights. In return, the capture of Sake cut off one of the main logistical routes to the city, further exacerbating tensions in the region.

On the first day of the city’s encirclement, six South African peacekeepers were killed in action and their armored vehicle was burned. UN representatives reported that 13 soldiers of the peacekeeping contingent in the DR Congo had been killed in the fighting.

The Congolese government and the UN claim that the M23 militants are supported by Rwanda. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a statement through his spokesman, called on Rwanda to stop supporting the M23 and withdraw from the DRC. He also called on the M23 to immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from the occupied areas.

The Guardian reported, citing intelligence sources, that a large number of troops from Rwanda were crossing the border into Congo to help the rebels capture Goma before an emergency UN meeting on the crisis in the region.

According to them, the soldiers of the Rwanda Defence Force have secretly crossed the border into the DRC over the past few days to support the M23 militants in their offensive.