March 10, 2025 – The Democratic Republic of Congo has once again been stained with the blood of innocent civilians as the national army, FARDC, launched deadly airstrikes targeting the Banyamulenge community in Minembwe. At approximately 11:00 AM, a Sukhoi military aircraft dropped at least five bombs on Kiziba and Kawera villages, destroying homes and causing widespread terror. The attack also struck Minembwe’s only airstrip, crippling a critical lifeline for the region. The incident, confirmed in an exclusive interview with KivuPride.com by CEO-OFFICER Jean de Dieu and Ambassador of Peace for the Banyamulenge in Australia, has been described as yet another step in an orchestrated campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Speaking to KivuPride.com, CEO OFFICER Jean de Dieu condemned the airstrikes as a direct attempt to annihilate the Banyamulenge. “This is not an accident, nor is it a military mistake. This is a well-calculated effort by President Félix Tshisekedi’s regime to erase the Banyamulenge from Congo. The national army, instead of protecting civilians, is now leading the genocide against its own people,” he stated.
The attack has left dozens of families displaced, with homes and essential infrastructure in ruins. FARDC’s decision to target Minembwe’s airstrip has raised concerns over a deliberate strategy to cut off the region from humanitarian aid. “The destruction of the airstrip is not just about physical damage—it is an attempt to ensure that no medical supplies, no food, and no emergency assistance can reach our people. This is a clear message from Tshisekedi’s government: they want us to starve, suffer, and disappear,” CEO OFFICER Jean de Dieu lamented.
For years, the Banyamulenge community has faced systemic persecution in South Kivu, with government-backed militias such as the Mai-Mai executing mass killings, burning villages, and displacing thousands. The latest attack only adds to a growing list of crimes that many believe amount to genocide. “The world must understand what is happening in Congo: the state is carrying out ethnic cleansing under the guise of military operations. This is not a war against rebels—this is an attempt to wipe out an entire ethnic group, and Tshisekedi is the mastermind behind it,” CEOOFFICER Jean de Dieu told KivuPride.com.
Despite multiple reports of human rights violations, the international community has largely remained silent on the crisis. Many observers have accused global powers of ignoring the suffering of the Banyamulenge, prioritizing political interests over human lives. “We are calling on the United Nations, international governments, and human rights organizations to break their silence. If the world does not act now, history will remember that the genocide of the Banyamulenge happened in plain sight, and no one stopped it,” CEO OFFICER Jean de Dieu urged.
As the bodies pile up and the terror intensifies, one question remains: how long will the world allow the systematic extermination of the Banyamulenge to continue? The attack on Minembwe is not an isolated event—it is part of a broader plan to erase an entire people. Justice must prevail, and those responsible must be held accountable before it is too late.
