Drones in real life, too: Armed drones vs. M23 rebels in the Congo

Drones play a major role in the fictional civil war in Drone Child: A Novel of War, Family, and Survival. They also show up in the Congo in real life.

As reported by Africa Insider and other outlets, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spending $800 million on drones to bomb Rwandan-backed M23 rebels. Supervised by a French Foreign Legion veteran, Romanian mercenaries will fly about 10 Chinese-made drones, known as the CASC Rainbow CH-4. They can bomb and fire missiles at ground targets from more than 15,000 feet, well above the range of many anti-aircraft guns. Wingspan is 28 feet, cruising speed about 200 miles per hour, payload 761 pounds, endurance 40 hours.

The blood-thirsty Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist rebel group like M23, has used drones in the past for surveillance purposes and perhaps more.

In Drone Child, the fictional rebels in the Congolese Purification Army buy and fly drones, with the help of Lemba Adula, the brilliant young hero, whom the Purifiers kidnapped and forced to fight to save his parents from a machete blade.

Will the Chinese-made drones live up to billing and tip the balance of power in the central government’s battle with the M23? Africa Insider is optimistic. Let’s see what happens.

Related: The same video reports that the DRC is asking other African countries to censure and impose economic sanctions against Rwanda and Uganda for endangering the Congo’s security. They are said to be supplying such items as satellite radios, AK-47s, and bullets. Given past UN statements, I find these accusations to be credible.