- US condemns DRC violence
- Rwanda accused of support
- Civilians flee to Goma
Growing violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been condemned by the United States, which blames an armed group that it claims is supported by neighbouring Rwanda.
Recent fighting between government forces and the M23 insurgent group in the eastern region of the DRC has claimed the lives or injuries of dozens of soldiers and civilians.
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled to the eastern city of Goma, situated between Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border, as a result of the violence.
This escalation has increased the risk to millions of people who were already subjected to human rights violations such as deprivation, attacks, and displacement,” said Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the US State Department.
Miller further stated, “The United States strongly denounces Rwanda’s assistance to the M23 armed group and demands that all Rwanda Defence Force personnel be promptly evacuated from the DRC, along with the elimination of its surface-to-air missile systems, which pose a danger to civilians, United Nations and other regional peacekeepers, humanitarian operations, and commercial flights in the eastern region of the DRC.”
The Democratic Republic of the Congo accused Rwanda on Saturday of conducting a drone strike that consequently damaged a civilian aircraft at the Goma airport.
“It violated the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by obviously emanating from Rwandan territory,” stated Lieutenant-Colonel Guillaume Ndjike Kaito in a video broadcast.
Rwanda has been accused by Western nations, the DRC, also the United Nations of supporting the rebels in an effort to gain control over extensive mineral resources. Kigali has denied these allegations.
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South Africa announced its intention to provide 2,900 personnel in aid of the DRC’s armed forces against the armed group on Wednesday.
In the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, numerous rebel groups arose in the resource-rich eastern region of the DRC, where the country has been embroiled in conflict for decades.
M23, an insurgent group that seceded from the DRC army in 2012, claims to be defending ethnic Congolese Tutsis from tribal prejudice in the DRC.
