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The Democratic Republic of Congo Monday accused neighboring Rwanda of jamming satellite navigation systems, endangering civilian flights in the volatile eastern region of the country.
The Congolese government alleges that Rwanda is interfering with aircraft GPS signals through a process known as “jamming” and “spoofing,” a form of cybercrime. This, it says, poses a serious risk to both commercial and humanitarian flights delivering crucial aid to conflict-affected populations.
The accusation comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries over the activities of the M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo. A UN report earlier this month accused Rwanda of supporting the M23, a claim Kigali denies.
The Congolese government says it has conducted a technical investigation confirming that the Rwandan army and M23 rebels are responsible for the GPS interference. The impact on air traffic remains unclear, but the government has reported disruptions in North Kivu province, including the capital Goma.
Kinshasa has lodged a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization, seeking sanctions against Rwanda.
Rwanda has yet to respond to the allegations.
The ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, despite multiple peace initiatives and the deployment of UN and regional forces.
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