By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Rwanda’s government has said it is not involved in military activities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC targeted at supporting M23 rebels there, denying a United Nations report indicting its troops.
The Rwandan government in a communique late Thursday responded to UN report which has since been published in major news platforms.
The statement, issued on the government’s official Twitter account, said: “Rwanda cannot comment on an unpublished and unvalidated report. The U.N. Security Council received a U.N. Group of Experts report on DRC in June 2022, which contained none of these false allegations, and a mid-term report is expected in December.”
The report from the UN Group of Experts, according to a report by Reuters says there was “solid evidence” that members of the Rwanda Defense Forces, RDF had carried out military operations in Congo’s Rutshuru territory.
It said members of RDF conducted joint attacks with M23 fighters against Congo’s army and Congolese armed groups, and provided the rebels with weapons, ammunition and uniforms.
Rwanda has repeatedly denied accusations by the DRC that it has placed troops in eastern Congo and is supporting M23.
The Rwandan government said it is the DRC that supports rebels in the region and said there have been attacks and shelling from the DRC into Rwandan territory on multiple occasions, resulting in fatalities and destruction of property.
The statement Friday said Rwanda has the right to defend its territory and citizens, and not just wait for disaster to occur.
The M23 rebellion was an armed conflict in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, that occurred between the March 23 Movement and government forces. The rebellion was part of continued fighting in the region after the formal end of the Second Congo War in 2003.
