Kenya Airways says it will suspend flights to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital Kinshasa from Tuesday after military authorities in Central African nation failed to release its employees from detention despite a court order.

Congo’s military intelligence detained two of the airline’s staff on April 19, allegedly because of missing customs documentation on some valuable cargo. The company said it did not accept the cargo because the shipper’s paperwork was incomplete.

Kenya Airways said on Monday that its staff were still in detention, in spite of a military court saying they should be released to allow due process.

“The continued detention of our employees has made it difficult for us to supervise our operations in Kinshasa,” Kenya’s national carrier management said in a statement.

As a result, it said, it had decided to suspend flights from Tuesday “until we can effectively support these flights”.

Spokespeople for Congo’s government and foreign affairs ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Kenya Airways said it was cooperating with investigating agencies and government entities in Congo and Kenya to ensure the matter was resolved.

The airline has said previously that its detained staff are innocent and that it considers the episode harassment targeting its business. Congolese authorities have not responded to those comments.

Kenya Airways on Friday accused authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) of harassment over the continued detention of two of the airline’s staff for alleged customs violations despite a court ordering their release.

A senior Kenyan government official said Kenya had also objected to what he said was their arrest and detention.

The airline workers have been granted only one short visit by Kenya’s embassy staff, Kenya’s national carrier said. Congo’s government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said he would give a response later.

“We are perturbed by this action targeting innocent staff and consider it harassment targeting Kenya Airways’ business,” the airline said.

Korir Sing’oei, the principal secretary at Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry, said the government was committed to protecting its citizens abroad.

“Kenya takes great exception to the arrest and detention of its nationals lawfully carrying out commercial activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo by authorities in DRC,” he said on social media platform X. “Our Mission in Kinshasa is engaging actively on the matter.”

At the time of the pair’s arrest, Kenya Airways had not taken possession of the cargo because the logistics handler was still processing documentation, the airline said.

“This cargo was still in the baggage section undergoing clearance when the security team arrived and alleged that KQ was transporting cargo without customs clearance,” it said.

• A Reuters report