A brief but deadly urban battle between allied rebel-backing nations, killing around 1,000 civilians and soldiers in Kisangani during the Second Congo War.
Key Facts
- Duration
- 5–10 June 2000 (6 days)
- Rounds fired
- More than 6,600 rounds
- Estimated deaths
- ~1,000 people
- Estimated wounded
- At least 3,000 people
- Airports affected
- Bangoka Airport and Simsimi Airport
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ugandan and Rwandan forces had both intervened in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the Second Congo War, backing rival rebel factions and competing for influence and resources. Prior clashes in Kisangani in August 1999 and May 2000 signaled escalating rivalry between the two allied-turned-rival forces converging on the strategic city.
From 5 to 10 June 2000, Ugandan and Rwandan troops fought each other in and around Kisangani in six days of intense urban combat. More than 6,600 rounds were fired across the city; an entire brigade was destroyed at Bangoka Airport and another at Simsimi Airport. The majority of casualties were civilians caught in the crossfire.
According to the human rights organization Justice et Libération, the fighting killed approximately 1,000 people and wounded at least 3,000, with civilians bearing the brunt of the losses. Large sections of Kisangani were seriously damaged, and the battle deepened international condemnation of both Uganda and Rwanda for their roles in the broader Second Congo War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent