Bunia Airport in DR Congo's Ituri Province to stay closed to commercial flights until February 2027
Why It MattersA months-long NOTAM closure of a provincial hub shows how epidemic-related restrictions can persist well past a changing outbreak picture, leaving eastern Congo's operators and humanitarian air users rerouting to other airports.
Commercial flights to Bunia Airport (IATA: BUX, ICAO: FZKA), which serves the capital of Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, will remain suspended until at least 8 February 2027, according to the latest Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). The extension comes despite changes in the Ebola situation in Ituri. The airport was first shut in May 2026 because of the 2026 Ebola epidemic. After reopening, commercial flights were suspended again in June 2026.
Local youth leader Deogratias Bungamuzi Kukwabo questioned the rationale for the extension, noting that commercial air traffic continues in other cities of eastern DR Congo. "The continued closure is difficult to understand without clear public explanations," he said. The restrictions affect travelers, students, traders and humanitarian organizations in a region where road travel often faces security and weather challenges. Calls are growing for Ituri's political leaders to seek clarity from Kinshasa and push for the airport's reopening.
Separately, the Congolese army (FARDC) says it has halted the advance of FRN rebels at Bulambika and is preparing a counter-offensive to retake areas of Bunyakiri in South Kivu. "We are preparing the counter-attack and we will recover all the lost areas," said Major Dieudonné Kasereka, spokesperson for the 34th Military Region. FRN forces currently control Bitale, Bulambika and Kambali, while FARDC and allied forces hold positions in Mubugu, Kambegete, Irangi and Hombo-Sud. The fighting has effectively divided Bunyakiri, raising fears of further displacement and insecurity among civilians.
