A report by UN-mandated experts, unveiled Thursday, August 4, affirms that the Rwandan army has launched, since November 2021, « military interventions against Congolese armed groups and positions of the Congolese armed forces », with images of drones, videos, photos and supporting testimonials.
The investigation transmitted to the Security Council reveals that Rwanda has indeed supported the M23 movement which has been clashing for several months with the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) in the east of the country. This neighboring country has « provided troop reinforcements to the M23 for specific operations », according to the report, with the aim of « capturing strategic towns and areas ». As a reminder, this group seized, on June 13, the locality of Bunagana, in North Kivu.
In a press release, released on Thursday evening, the Congolese Minister of Communication, Patrick Muyaya, underlines that among the evidence gathered by the UN experts, there are « photos of Rwandan soldiers in an M23 camp, images filmed by drones showing columns of hundreds of soldiers marching in Congolese territory, and photos and videos showing M23 fighters wearing Rwandan army uniforms and equipment”.
For this minister, « Rwanda can no longer deny the accusations » in the face of this extensive evidence, and « must recognize its guilt and its complicity in the instability in the DRC ».
He invited, on behalf of the government, « the Security Council to condemn this umpteenth murderous aggression and to draw all the consequences in order to obtain the definitive withdrawal of the M23 from all the occupied localities and to support the judicial process which should lead to sentencing of the culprits and reparation for the families of the victims”.
Once again, Kigali brushed aside these accusations. For his government, “Rwanda cannot comment on an unpublished and unvalidated report”. Government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo recalled that “the United Nations Security Council received a report from the United Nations Panel of Experts in June 2022 which did not contain any of these false allegations”.
By OMA Newsletter N° 810 of 05/08/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
