The Democratic Republic of Congo has blocked all aircraft belonging to Rwanda from using its airspace.
Among the affected airlines is Rwandair, which is Rwanda’s national flag carrier and that has now been forced to circumnavigate the neighbouring country’s airspace in rerouting flights.
The Government at Kinshasa announced the closure of DR Congo airspace to all civil and state aircraft based, registered or operating from Rwanda.
In response to that, the management of Rwandair released a statement which said ‘Due to the closure of DR Congo airspace to Rwandan-registered aircraft, we have rerouted affected flight paths!’
According to Rwandair, the carrier was working to provide the safest and most efficient alternatives while minimizing inconvenience to its passengers.
Elsewhere in Tanzania, DR Congo has filed a case against Rwanda, at the African Court based in Arusha, accusing the latter of fuelling the conflict in the former’s Eastern Province of Goma and surrounding environs.
Earlier, the Agence Congolaise de Presse reported that the Congolese airport authorities had circulated an internal memo which was issued on the ‘formal ban on overflight and landing on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for all civil and state aircraft registered in Rwanda.
The restriction also applies to other planes registered elsewhere but based in Rwanda due to the situation of insecurity caused by the armed conflict.
The decision to ban Rwandan aircraft comes as the fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese forces resumed on Tuesday on the Lubero front in the eastern province of North Kivu in Congo.
Since January more than 3,000 people have been killed, 2,880 injured and over 500,000 displaced, adding to the 6.4 million already internally displaced people, according to the UN.
At least 20 peacekeepers, including 14 from South Africa, lost their lives during the clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese forces. The remains of the South African soldiers are expected to be returned home on Thursday.
The M23 rebels now claim control of Goma and have declared their own administration in the city.
Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels and sending its forces to eastern Congo when the latest offensive began, while Kigali has repeatedly denied the allegations that it backs rebels.