KINSHASA, July 28 — The Democratic Republic of Congo has accused Rwandan soldiers of crossing into its territory on July 27.
The Congolese army issued a statement describing the alleged incursion into North Kivu province as an intolerable provocation. It said the Rwandan soldiers had been forced back across the border.
There has been no word from Rwanda. It has previously denied accusations by the DR Congo government that it backs a rebel group known as M23, which has carried out numerous attacks in eastern DR Congo.
The accusation comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries. In June, DR Congo accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, which is accused of carrying out a series of attacks in eastern DR Congo. Rwanda denied the accusations.
The two countries have a long history of conflict. In 1994, Rwandan Hutu militias carried out the Rwandan genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. The genocide led to a mass exodus of Hutus into DR Congo, where they set up refugee camps.
In 1996, the Rwandan army invaded DR Congo, ostensibly to disarm the Hutu militias. However, the Rwandan army remained in DR Congo for several years, plundering the country’s resources and committing human rights abuses.
The two countries signed a peace agreement in 2002, but tensions have remained high. In 2012, the M23 rebel group first emerged in eastern DR Congo. The group is largely made up of former Rwandan soldiers who were integrated into the Congolese army after the 2002 peace agreement.
The M23 rebels launched a major offensive in eastern DR Congo in 2012, taking control of several towns. The Congolese army was initially unable to stop the rebels, but the tide of the conflict began to turn in 2013. With the help of UN peacekeepers, the Congolese army was able to push the M23 rebels back into Rwanda.
The M23 rebels have since been regrouping in eastern DR Congo. In June 2022, the M23 rebels launched a new offensive, taking control of several towns in North Kivu province. The Congolese army has been struggling to contain the M23 rebels.
The accusations of cross-border incursions by Rwandan soldiers have further complicated the situation. The DR Congo government has called on the UN Security Council to take action against Rwanda. The UN Security Council has called for an investigation into the allegations.
The situation in eastern DR Congo remains volatile. The renewed fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels has displaced thousands of people and raised the risk of a wider conflict.
Source: BBC News
