In 2022, heavy tensions broke out between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, which have led to several alleged attacks by Congolese and Rwandan forces on each other's territory. Rwandan forces have been caught crossing into the DRC multiple times, usually fighting alongside Congolese rebels.
| Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda tensions (2022–present) | |||||||
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| Part of the M23 offensive (2022–present) and the Kivu conflict | |||||||
 The DRC (orange) and Rwanda (green) | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Félix Tshisekedi | |||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 FARDC |
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| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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The crisis is related to an ongoing offensive beginning in March 2022 by the March 23 Movement (M23), which the DR Congo, United Nations, United States, and other Western countries accuse Rwanda of not only supporting but actively fighting for.[9][10][3] Rwanda and M23[11] have also accused the DRC of working together with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a racist Hutu Power paramilitary group that took part in the Rwandan Genocide.[12] Both the Congo and Rwanda deny they support the FDLR and M23, respectively,[9][13] contrary to research and reports that confirm both sides' allegations.[14][15][16]
The MONUSCO peacekeeping mission has maintained that it is not involved in the conflict apart from its role in defending the region from militants,[17] but has been accused by Rwanda of taking sides due to its cooperation with the Congolese armed forces.[18] Meanwhile, the Congolese government has asked MONUSCO peacekeepers to leave the DRC due to a "failure to protect civilians from armed groups."[19]
Timeline
2022
March 2022
Soon after the beginning of the offensive, the Democratic Republic of the Congo claimed that Rwanda supported the insurgent operation, a claim which was denied by the Rwandan government and the rebels.[2][20] International Crisis Group researcher Onesphore Sematumba argued that claims about Rwandan aid were believable. He suggested that the resurgence of M23 was probably influenced by Rwanda's wish to stop an infrastructure project which would link the DR Congo and Uganda.[20]
May 2022
Congolese forces said that they had captured two Rwandan soldiers that had been sent into the DRC in disguise in May. Both were released on 11 June.[21] On 23 May, FARDC troops reportedly shelled Musanze District, in the Northern Province of Rwanda, injuring several people.[22][23] Two days later, the DRC ordered the suspension of all RwandAir flights.[24] Rwanda condemned the action,[25] and RwandAir decided to retaliate by cancelling flights to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Goma.[24]
In response to these conflicts, African Union Chairman and President of Senegal Macky Sall said on 29 May that the African Union was supporting a "peaceful resolution" to the tensions.[26]
June 2022
Mediation attempts continued into the following month; on 2 June, Angolan President João Lourenço attempted to mediate a resolution between the two countries in Luanda.[27] On 8 June, Alexander De Croo, the Prime Minister of Belgium, compared the situation in the eastern DRC to that of Ukraine in a visit to Kinshasa, additionally making comments implying his support for the Congo in its border crisis with Rwanda.[28]
On 9 June, the DRC said it had discovered that 500 Rwandan special forces in disguise had been sent into the area near the town of Tshanzu in North Kivu.[12][29] The day afterwards, the DRC accused Rwanda of firing rockets at a school in Biruma,[30] killing two children and seriously injuring another person of unspecified age. Rwanda also said that the Congo had fired rockets into Western Rwanda from the direction of Bunagana.[31][32]
The UN called for a ceasefire between the two countries,[33] but on 12 June, the DRC alleged that Rwanda intended to occupy the city of Bunagana,[9] which M23 forces would then capture one day later. The arrival of the M23 forced about 30,000 people to flee to Uganda. The DRC claimed that Rwandan forces were helping to occupy the city. The rebels claimed that taking Bunagana wasn't their goal, but decided to do it after repeated attacks by the Congolese army. They also said that they were open to doing direct negotiations with the government.[4] The DRC described the fall of Bunagana as "no less than an invasion" by Rwanda.[18] Two senior Congolese security sources claimed that Uganda was also helping the M23 in their offensive.[4] That same day, Rwanda charged the MONUSCO mission of taking sides in the conflict, which it said was allowing the Congo to carry out cross-border attacks in Rwanda.[18]
The heavy fighting also caused about 137 Congolese soldiers and 37 police officers to flee into Uganda, where they surrendered to Ugandan forces.[34][35] A Kinyarwanda-speaking lieutenant colonel was attacked and beaten by a mob in Kisangani.[36][37]
On 15 June, thousands of demonstrators organized a protest against Rwandan actions in Goma. The protest quickly turned into an anti-Rwandan riot, as an angry mob pillaged and attacked shops owned by Rwandans, seizing vehicles to check if Rwandans were inside.[38][39] Congolese riot police fired tear gas at protesters after some tried to enter a border checkpoint at the Rwandan border.[39] Several Rwandans in Goma responded by fleeing the country.[40] On the same day, the DRC suspended all "memoranda of understanding, agreements, and conventions concluded with Rwanda", demanding the withdrawal of all alleged Rwandan military personnel within the boundaries of the country.[41]
Just a few hours after Congolese security officials called for the DRC to cut all ties with Rwanda, a Congolese soldier crossed into Rubavu District carrying an AK-47[42] and was shot to death by a Rwanda National Police officer on 17 June. The RDF said that the soldier was killed after he started shooting at civilians and security forces, and had injured two officers.[43][44] The Congo shut down the two countries' border in response to the officer's death, adding that it would open an investigation into the events.[45] As a vehicle brought back the officer's body to Goma, a crowd made up of hundreds of people followed the vehicle shouting "hero, hero" and describing President of Rwanda Paul Kagame as an assassin.[46][47] Some members of the crowd were documented yelling hateful slogans against Tutsis.[47]
July 2022
Representatives of Rwanda and the DRC both came to an agreement held in Angola on 6 July to begin a "de-escalation process" between the two nations.[48] M23 leader Willy Ngoma ordered a new offensive the next day, asserting that "Only the M23 can sign the cease-fire with the government."[49]
August 2022
In early August, a report for the United Nations by independent experts was leaked to the press. The report provided evidence that Rwandan troops had entered Congolese territory to support M23, fighting alongside the insurgents. These findings led to calls by journalists and officials in the DRC for the UN to sanction Rwanda.[50][51]
October 2022
On 24 October, a Rwandan soldier running away from the Rwandan military's 401st battalion surrendered himself to a MONUSCO base in Kiwanja, saying that he had been sent to Rwanda as part of a military operation and begged the UN troops not to send him back to Rwanda. He was handed over to FARDC forces on 4 November.[14]
The Kivu Security Barometre, a project of the University of New York's Congo Study Group, found that satellite photos showing a battle from late October 2022 in Rugari, Rutshuru Territory revealed soldiers with insignias similar to those of the Rwandan Defence Force.[14]
November 2022
On 19 November, a Congolese soldier was shot dead as he crossed a border post near Rubavu. The Rwanda Defence Force said that he had been killed after shooting at the guard towers. The FARDC confirmed that the soldier had been killed, identifying him as a recent recruit to the armed forces who went missing after he had gotten lost during an army patrol. The DRC and Rwanda both say they are investigating the incident.[52][53]
At the 2022 Francophonie summit in Tunis, the DRC representative Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde refused to take part in a group photo with other Francophone leaders (including the Rwandan representative) as a protest against Rwanda's actions in the Congo.[52]
The East African Community demanded, on 24 November, for both a ceasefire between Rwanda and the DRC as well as ordering the M23 movement to withdraw from all occupied territories. The EAC stated it would lead a military intervention to quell the unrest in Kivu if the orders were not obeyed.[54] At a summit in Luanda, Angola, both Rwanda and the DRC agreed to hold a ceasefire which was officially enforced on 25 November at 16:00 GMT.[55]
The M23 rejected the ceasefire, since they had not been invited to participate in the dialogue. A spokesman for the rebel group told Agence France-Presse that "M23 has seen the document on social media. […] There was nobody [from the M23] in the summit, so it doesn't really concern us... Normally when there is a cease-fire it is between the two warring sides."[56]
December 2022
On 5 December, the DRC announced that 272 civilians were killed in a massacre in the eastern town of Kishishe, North Kivu. The Congolese government blamed the killings on the M23, though M23 themselves denied culpability. An investigation was opened by Jean-Paul Mukolo, attorney general of the DRC.[57]
2023
January 2023
On 19 January 2023, The Rwandan government claimed that the DRC had a "clear indication" that it was "preparing for war." Rwanda also claimed that the DRC had imported European mercenaries on their behalf.[58] Five days later, on 24 January, a Congolese Su-25 was damaged by MANPAD fire by Rwandan forces after Rwanda claimed it violated its airspace.[8] The attack, which happened between the cities of Gisenyi and Goma, was responded to with a statement that said, "The government considers this umpteenth attack by Rwanda as a deliberate action." It was also said that the plane suffered only minor damage.[59]
July 2023
The DRC claimed on 27 July that it had repelled an incursion by the Rwandan army north of Goma. According to local sources, a Rwandan soldier was killed in the clash.[60]
October 2023
On 18 October, the UN expressed concern about the risk of a direct war between both countries.[61]
November 2023
On November 6, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to de-escalate the conflict after a surge of rebel clashes in Kinshasa.[62][63] On 21 November, the two leaders agreed on steps to deescalate the tensions between both countries, according to U.S. intelligence.[64] The following day, M23 rebels claimed that they captured the town of Mweso.[65]
December 2023
In a speech made on 9 December, Tshisekedi said, "if Kagame [wants] to behave like Adolf Hitler by having expansionist aims, I promise he will end up like Adolf Hitler," in reference to the German dictator responsible for the Holocaust. A Rwandan government spokesperson condemned this statement, accusing Tshisekedi of making "a loud and clear threat".[66]
On 20 December, Tshisekedi threatened an invasion of Rwanda, stating "I've had enough of invasions and M23 rebels backed by Kigali," being met with chants of "Kagame out!"[67]
2024
January 2024
In the first incident of the year, a Congolese soldier was killed by Rwandan forces on January 16 in Rwanda's Rubavu District. The soldier allegedly opened fire on Rwandan soldiers before being shot dead. Two other Congolese soldiers were arrested in the same event.[68]
Félix Tshisekedi was sworn into his second term as president having promised to deal with the unrest in the east of the country.[69]
February 2024
On 17 February, the U.S. Department of State published a statement condemning Rwanda's alleged support of M23, while calling for the Rwandan government to remove all RDF personnel and surface-to-air missile systems from the DRC.[70] The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MINAFFET) responded with a rejection of U.S. demands, stating their recent moves were justified as defensive measures against the FDLR, and questioned the ability of the U.S. to act as a credible mediator in the African Great Lakes. The Rwandan statement ended with an assertion that the FDLR must be demobilized and repatriated to Rwanda, with MINAFFET furthermore proclaiming, "Rwanda reserves the right to take any legitimate measures to defend our country, so long as this threat exists."[71]
The DRC accused Rwanda of carrying out a drone attack that damaged a civilian aircraft at Goma International Airport.[72] Protests were held in the city and western flags were burned.[73]
March 2024
M23 rebels took control of the town of Nyanzale.[74]
May 2024
On May 4, refugee camps near Goma were struck by bombs in coordinated attacks that killed 12 and injured at least 20. Both the Congolese administration and the U.S. Department of State blamed the Rwandan military and M23 for the attack. Yolande Makolo, spokeswoman for the Rwandan government, denied Rwandan culpability, saying on X, “The RDF, a professional army, would never attack an IDP camp. Look to the lawless FDLR [and] Wazalendo supported by the FARDC, for this kind of atrocity.”[75]
See also
Notes
References
Further reading
- "'Join Us or Die': Rwanda's Extraterritorial Repression" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. October 2023. ISBN 979-8-88708-072-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2023.