Plane crash in Democratic Republic of the Congo results in 14 fatalities

At least 14 people, including senior military officials, were killed on Friday when a Congolese army plane crashed in the southwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The plane was traveling to the capital, Kinshasa, from the southwestern city of Kikwit when it developed a technical fault and attempted to land in Kenge, in Kwango province. Remy Saki Bokinda, deputy governor of Kwango, stated, "With no landing strip available in Kenge, the plane crashed into a residential plot." Congolese military spokesperson Major-General Efomi Ekenge confirmed that 14 people had died in the crash. He noted, "All those on board died; 12 were burned beyond recognition, while the pilot’s lifeless body was found outside the aircraft." Among those killed were civilians and members of an official delegation traveling with the two generals, along with other military personnel. Bokinda also mentioned that most of the bodies were burned beyond recognition and the pilot was found dead outside the wreckage. An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the accident, according to Ekenge. The DRC, a vast, mineral-rich country in central Africa, has endured decades of conflict, particularly along its eastern border with Rwanda, where several armed groups compete for control of lucrative mining areas. The Congolese military has been battling a number of rebel groups that have claimed key cities in the country since last year.