By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Rwanda on Saturday said its military forces is not responsible for an attack at an internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), effectively denying an allegation by Washington.
Kigali instead blamed militias it said were supported by the Congolese military for the assault.
The U.S on Friday condemned Friday’s attack which killed at least nine people, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.
The attack was launched from positions held by the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, the U.S. statement alleged.
The U.S. is “gravely concerned about the recent RDF and M23 expansion” in eastern Congo, it said.
Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo denied that RDF was behind the attack, accusing militias supported by the Congolese military of being responsible.
“The RDF, a professional army, would never attack an IDP (displaced persons). Look to the lawless FDLR and Wazalendo supported by the FARDC (Congolese military) for this kind of atrocity,” she said in a post on X.
The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) is a Hutu group founded by Hutu officials who fled Rwanda after orchestrating the 1994 genocide while Wazalendo is a Christian sect.
A two-year offensive by M23 rebels has moved closer to the eastern Congolese city of Goma in recent months, prompting thousands to seek refuge in the city from surrounding areas.
Heritage Times reports that relations between Rwanda and DRC has deteriorated over alleged backing of M23 rebel group by Rwanda, an allegation Kigali has repeatedly denied.
Earlier in the week, French President Emmanuel Macron pointedly accused Rwanda of backing the M23 militant group wreaking havoc in eastern part of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), urging Kigali to “halt its support”.
The UN, EU and US have have also accused Rwanda, which is led by Tutsis, of backing the M23.
In 2022, DRC expelled Rwanda’s ambassador, Vincent Karenga, giving him 48 hours to leave the country in retaliation for Rwanda’s alleged support for M23.
