DR Congo loses MI-24 helicopter

On 30 October, a Mi-24 helicopter of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo crashed at Ndolo Airport.

The Mi-24 helicopter belonging to the DR Congo air force crashed at Ndolo airport, the second largest airport in Kinshasa.

According to sources from the Civil Aviation Authority, all three foreign crew died.

The DR Congo air force operates around eight Soviet-made Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters. In 2022, it acquired a number of Russian-made combat and transport helicopters to contend with insurgents.

The DRC’s army is fighting in the restive east where ethnic militias and other armed groups are battling for control near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda. According the United Nations, there are at least 120 armed groups in the DRC’s restive east.

In 2019, the United States delivered at least seven utility helicopters to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The helicopters are the Bell 206L LongRangers (9T-HB1 and 9T-HB2), plus UH-1Hs (9T-HB3, 9T-HB4, 9T-HB5, 9T-HB6 and 9T-HB7), all were acquired second-hand from unconfirmed sources.

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