Kigali and Kinshasa accuse each other of supporting rebel groups active in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Le Monde with AFP
The Senegalese Head of State, Macky Sall, President in office of the African Union (AU), said he was “seriously concerned”, Sunday, May 29, by the “rise in tension” between Rwanda And the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), urging the two countries “calm and dialogue for the peaceful resolution of the crisis, with the support of regional mechanisms and the African Union”.
Rwanda said on Saturday that two of his soldiers were retained in captivity after their kidnapping by rebels in the DRC, accusing the authorities of this country of supporting them. This statement comes after the DRC summoned the Rwanda ambassador and accused its neighbor of supporting the rebel group M23, active in its eastern region.
According to Rwandan Defense Forces (DRF), his two soldiers were kidnapped during a patrol and are detained in the east of the DRC by rebels of the Rwanda Liberation Democratic Forces (FDLR). The Congolese army replied that it held the two soldiers sought, according to a statement published on Sunday. “Unlike the declarations of [Rwandan] officials, the DRF soldiers effectively operate on Congolese territory. As proof, the arrest by the population of corporal Nkundabangezi Elysée and soldier Mini Gadi,” wrote Brigade General Sylvain Ekenge.
Rwand’Air flights
This incident follows an attack at the start of the week along the border by the Congolese forces and the rebels of the FDLR, according to the Rwandan army. The fighting between Congolese forces and the M23 broke out on several fronts this week in North Kivu, an oriental province of the DRC torn by the war, border of Rwanda. Kinshasa claims that the M23 – a rebellion mainly composed of Congolese Tutsi, among the hundred armed groups operating in the east of the DRC – is supported by Rwanda. Kigali denied any involvement.
Saturday, the Congolese authorities decided to suspend the flights of the Rwand’Air company. On Sunday, on the other hand, the Congolese army announced the reopening of the Rutshuru-Goma strategic road axis after five days of traffic interruption because of the fighting between the DRC armed forces and the rebels of the M23.
The DRC and Rwanda have maintained tense relations since the massive arrival in the Congolese of Rwandan Hutu accused of having massacred Tutsi during the genocide in Rwanda, in 1994. Kinshasa regularly accused Rwanda of leading incursions on its territory and support armed groups. Relations had started to thaw after the election of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi in 2019, but the resurgence of M23 attacks recently rekindled bilateral tensions.