At least 14 people have been killed after a military aircraft crashed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). The fatalities include senior officials of the country's military.

The accident occurred on Friday, September 25, in Kenge, located in the southwestern province of Kwango, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

The aircraft had taken off from the southwestern city of Kikwit and was en route to the capital, Kinshasa. En route, the pilot experienced a technical malfunction and attempted an emergency landing in Kenge.

However, due to the absence of a runway, the plane crashed into a residential area.

Kwango Province Deputy Governor Rémy Saki Bokinda stated that despite the attempt at an emergency landing, the lack of a runway forced the aircraft down into the residential neighborhood.

Major General Efomi Ekenge, a spokesperson for the Congolese military, confirmed the death toll of 14, stating that everyone on board the aircraft perished.

The bodies of 12 victims were burned beyond recognition. The pilot's body was recovered outside the wreckage of the plane.

The military reported that civilians were among the dead, along with members of a government delegation accompanying two generals and several military personnel.

Major General Ekenge announced that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.

The mineral-rich Central African nation of DR Congo has long been plagued by armed conflict.

Particularly in the eastern region near the Rwandan border, various armed groups have been locked in protracted fighting over the control of valuable mining areas.

Over the past year, the country's military has been conducting operations to recapture key towns that had fallen under the control of rebel factions.