Belgium has advised its citizens against traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo following violent demonstrations in Kinshasa linked to the ongoing conflict in the country’s east.
In response to the unrest, Brussels Airlines has also suspended its flights to the Congolese capital.
“All travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo is currently discouraged,” Belgium’s foreign ministry stated on Wednesday.
The advisory follows a protest on January 28, during which demonstrators targeted the Belgian embassy. Authorities anticipate further demonstrations in the coming days.
Belgian nationals already in the DRC have been advised that they “can leave the country by their own means.”
National carrier Brussels Airlines, which operates daily flights between Brussels and Kinshasa, has canceled its scheduled flights for Wednesday.
The airline announced that it would evaluate the security situation before resuming operations.
“The decision to resume operations will be made after a thorough and careful assessment of the security situation,” the airline’s statement read.
The protests in Kinshasa, sparked by perceived international inaction, saw demonstrators attacking the embassies of Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, France, Belgium, and the United States.
Supermarkets were looted, and protesters set fire to piles of tires in chaotic scenes across the city.
France, the European Union, and Kenya condemned the embassy attacks.
Protesters accused Rwanda and Uganda of backing the M23 rebel group, which, with support from Rwandan forces, launched an offensive in North Kivu province before entering Goma, the key city in eastern DRC, on Sunday night.
Goma has since turned into a battleground as the Tutsi-led M23 rebels continue their push.
The situation has raised alarm internationally, particularly among nations with historical ties to the DRC.
Belgium, as the country’s former colonial ruler, maintains a close relationship with the nation and has a significant Congolese diaspora within its borders.
