Tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have once again escalated as the two nations engaged in a brief exchange of fire at a Rusizi border post on Wednesday. Rwanda has accused Congolese soldiers of opening fire on a Rwandan border post near the western district of Rusizi in the neutral zone, calling it “an act of provocation.” In a statement, Kigali stated that its security forces responded to the Congolese incursion, and the soldiers later withdrew. However, the Congolese government denies these accusations and maintains that the clashes were between the military and a group of “bandits” near the Bukavu border. According to South Kivu Governor Theo Ngwabidje Kasi, the allegations are “a lie” and an “altercation” took place involving an exchange of gunfire between the Congolese security forces and bandits.
Why the attack on the Rusizi border post has heightened tensions
The recent incident at the Rusizi border post is the latest in a series of events that have heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Last month, Rwanda accused a Congolese fighter jet of violating its airspace near Goma, a town on North Kivu’s border. Kinshasa denied the allegations, and called the attack on its aircraft a “deliberate act of aggression that equals an act of war,” accusing Rwanda of supporting an armed rebel group called M23 that’s fighting in the DRC’s east. The DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group based in the DRC that has conducted raids into Rwanda in the past.
The conflict in eastern DRC has lasted for decades, with over 100 armed groups fighting to control valuable mineral resources, which has resulted in the displacement of refugees. The United Nations has accused Rwanda of crossing into the DRC to reinforce M23 rebels or to conduct operations against the FDLR, and the US and the EU have urged Rwanda to stop supporting the rebels. Rwanda denies supporting the M23, calling the accusations a “tired old blame game” that undermines peace efforts. President Paul Kagame has urged DRC authorities to resolve their problems, stating that the crisis in the DRC “is not Rwanda’s problem.”
Image Credit: Djaffar Sabiti/Reuters
