Rwandan President Paul Kagame has strongly rejected criticism regarding his country’s involvement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where rebels backed by his government have seized the region’s largest city. Kagame stated that Rwanda is prepared for “confrontation” if necessary.
M23 rebels, reportedly supported by Rwandan troops, entered Goma earlier this week and are now advancing south toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. This marks the most significant escalation of the decades-long conflict since 2012.
Rwanda’s actions in eastern Congo have sparked international condemnation. The United States expressed that it is “deeply troubled” by the fall of Goma, while Germany canceled aid talks with Rwanda. The United Kingdom also warned that its annual £32 million ($39.8 million) bilateral assistance to Kigali could be at risk. Meanwhile, African nations have called for an immediate ceasefire.
Should M23 successfully push south, it would mark the first time in two decades that rebels have controlled such vast territory in the region, increasing the likelihood of a broader conflict involving multiple nations. Troops from neighboring Burundi—historically at odds with Rwanda—are currently supporting Congolese forces in South Kivu. However, a spokesperson for Burundi’s military declined to comment on the situation.
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Kagame Criticizes Regional Efforts
During an emergency summit of the East African Community (EAC) on Wednesday, Kagame criticized neighboring countries for failing to mediate the ongoing conflict between Congo and M23 over the past three years.
“Is there anybody among us who did not see this coming?” Kagame asked fellow heads of state in a video shared by his office on X. “I saw it coming because I did not see who was taking charge of the process.”
Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi did not attend the virtual summit, instead delivering a national address in which he vowed to launch a military campaign to reclaim lost territory.
Kagame also responded to a statement by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who linked the escalation to M23 rebels and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). South Africa has lost 13 soldiers in eastern Congo in recent days, serving in both the United Nations peacekeeping mission and a separate Southern African force.
Ramaphosa called for a peaceful resolution, but Kagame accused South Africa of aligning with a militia in Congo linked to perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
“If South Africa wants to contribute to peaceful solutions, that is well and good, but South Africa is in no position to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator,” Kagame stated. “And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day.”
M23 Rebels Continue Advance South
Following their takeover of Goma, a city of nearly two million people, M23 fighters pushed southward from Minova along the western shore of Lake Kivu. Five diplomatic and security sources confirmed their advance on Wednesday.
M23 forces attempted to seize Nyabibwe, a town about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Bukavu, but were repelled by Congolese troops, according to a local resident who spoke to Reuters.
The M23 insurgency is the latest in a series of ethnic Tutsi-led, Rwandan-backed rebellions in Congo since the 1994 genocide, during which extremist Hutus killed approximately one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Kagame, who led Tutsi forces that ended the genocide, has remained Rwanda’s president ever since.
Both Congo and the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission have confirmed the presence of Rwandan troops in Goma supporting M23. Rwanda, however, insists that it is merely defending itself from Congolese militias without directly addressing claims that its forces have crossed into Congo.
Rwanda maintains that perpetrators of the 1994 genocide have taken refuge in Congo for decades, posing a security threat to both Rwandan Tutsis and Rwanda itself. Congo, on the other hand, dismisses these claims, accusing Rwanda of using proxy militias to exploit its vast mineral resources.
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(Reuters)