DRC: Kinshasa denounces a “declaration of war” of Rwanda

Kinshasa accused Rwanda on Sunday of “declared war” by sending new troops to support the armed group of the M23 which is now besiege Goma, the main city in the east of the DRC, while the UN called Kigali to Kigali withdraw its forces from the region.

According to concordant security sources, the fights take place at the gates of Goma. The capital of the North Kivu province is home to a million inhabitants and almost as many displaced.

The city was already almost surrounded by the M23 and 3000 to 4000 Rwandan soldiers present in the east of the DRC, according to the UN, who have quickly gained ground in recent weeks after the failure of a Democratic Republic mediation of Congo Congo (DRC) -Rwanda under the aegis of Angola.

“A serious Rwanda security threat”

Rwanda said on Sunday evening to be placed in a “sustainable defensive posture” in view of the evolution of the fighting, a few hours after the UN expressly called it to withdraw from this region. “These fights near the Rwandan border continue to present a serious threat to the security of Rwanda and its territorial integrity, and require a lasting defensive posture of Rwanda,” the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The UN Security Council met in an emergency on Sunday to discuss the situation. “As I stand before you, an attack of an incredible gravity takes place before the eyes of the world,” said Congolese Foreign Affairs Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner there.

“New Rwandan troops have crossed” the border and penetrated into the DRC “in broad daylight,” she said, denouncing “an open and deliberate violation of our national sovereignty”. “It is a frontal aggression, a declaration of war which no longer hides behind diplomatic artifices,” she hammered.

Rwanda offensive condemned by the United States

She then claimed from the security council “targeted sanctions including the freezing of assets and the ban on travel, not only against identified members of the Rwandan armed forces’ chain of command, but also against political decision -makers responsible for this attack ». As well as a “total embargo on exports of all the minerals labeled as Rwandan, in particular the Coltan and the Gold”.

A few hours earlier, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, who had not so clearly questioned Kigali so far, said he was “deeply concerned about the escalation of violence” and called “the Rwandan defense forces to stop supporting the M23 and to withdraw from the territory of the DRC, “said a statement from his spokesperson.

The UN Security Council denounced on Sunday the “shameless contempt” of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), demanding the withdrawal of “external forces” without explicitly naming them.

The United States “condemns” the Rwanda and M23 offensive and will use “all the tools” available against those who feed the conflict, their representative at the UN said on Sunday.

A displaced camp affected by bombardments

A Rwandan drone opened fire on Congolese positions about six kilometers from Goma on Sunday, security and UN sources told AFP. According to several sources within the UN mission in the DRC (Monusco), “at least two paramilitaries” were seriously injured by these shots.

Other bombings have affected the Rusayo displaced camp, in the outskirts of Goma, according to several humanitarian sources that have not given a balance sheet.

In the center of Goma, heavy detonations were heard from dawn, while combat helicopters of the Congolese army turned in the sky, according to AFP journalists.

Thirteen soldiers deployed in two regional forces killed

Cars and motorcycles circulate but most of the shops have closed. Pillage by pro-Kinshasa militiamen have been reported in peripheral neighborhoods, according to civil society. As battles are approaching new columns of displaced flocks.

On Saturday evening, the spokesperson for the Congolese army accused Rwanda of being “determined to seize the city of Goma”. The city had been briefly occupied at the end of 2012 by the M23 (“March 23 movement”), born that year and defeated militarily the following year.

Thirteen South African soldiers, Malawites and Uruguayan, deployed in two regional (Samidrc) and UN (Monusco) forces for support to the Congolese army have been killed in fighting with the M23 in recent days, announced on Saturday the authorities of the three countries.

“Strict observation of the ceasefire agreed between the parties”

Rwanda said on Sunday to have “evacuated” its last diplomat on Kinshasa on Friday. Kinshasa had announced on Saturday to recall his diplomats in Kigali “with immediate effect”. The European Union called on the M23 to “stop its progress” and Rwanda to “withdraw immediately” in a declaration signed by the 27 member countries.

The African Union (AU) claimed “strict observation of the cease-fire agreed between the parties”.

An extraordinary summit of the Community of Eastern African States (EAC) dedicated to the situation in eastern DRC will be held “in the coming 48 hours” in the presence of Congolese presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandais Paul Kagame, The Kenyan Presidency announced Sunday evening.

“We will suit an extraordinary EAC summit in the coming 48 hours to deliberate on this crisis and trace a way to follow,” said President Kenyan William Ruto, thanking the presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame for “their confirmed participation. »»

“Latest news”

Do you want to stay at the top of the info? “Tribune de Genève” offers you two meetings per day, directly in your e-mailbox. To not miss anything of what is happening in your canton, Switzerland or in the world.

Other newsletters

Connect

AFP

Did you find an error? Please report it to us.

1 comment