In a contentious display of geopolitical tensions, DR Congo's military has decried Rwanda's announcement of capturing rebels, alleging it to be mere propaganda.
**DR Congo Rejects Rwandan Claims of Captured Rebels as Deceptive Stunt**
**DR Congo Rejects Rwandan Claims of Captured Rebels as Deceptive Stunt**
DR Congo military accuses Rwanda of staging video evidence regarding genocide-linked rebels.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has voiced strong accusations against Rwanda, alleging that the Rwandan government staged a video to falsely depict the capture of members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). This comes after claims from Rwandan-backed M23 rebels that they had detained these fighters, affiliated with the notorious militia responsible for the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
According to the DRC military, the video showing what was purported to be the handover of 20 FDLR rebels at a border crossing was an elaborate hoax. They insist that Rwanda used pre-existing FDLR prisoners, dressing them in new military uniforms to fabricate an incident aimed at undermining the reputation of the DRC armed forces. They labeled this act as a gross manipulation and suggested it served to rationalize Rwanda's military incursions within DRC territory.
The backdrop to the accusations is a worsening conflict in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels have made significant territorial advances, taking key cities such as Bukavu and Goma. The United Nations reports that around 500,000 individuals have been displaced due to the ongoing violence, aggravating an already critical humanitarian crisis.
Rwanda has previously justified its support for the M23 by citing the threat posed by the FDLR, claiming a right to intervene militarily. Furthermore, United Nations experts have raised concerns regarding Rwanda's military presence in the region, estimating that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops are currently in eastern DRC.
The historical context remains pivotal, as the FDLR comprises Hutu extremists who fled to DRC after the genocide that led to the deaths of nearly 800,000 Tutsis. Rwandan President Paul Kagame perceives the FDLR as a persistent existential threat.
Compounding the unrest, a recent rally in Bukavu for rebel leaders was marred by violence, resulting in gunfire and chaos as attendees attempted to flee the scene. Leaders of the M23 accused the DRC government under President Felix Tshisekedi of orchestrating the attack. However, Tshisekedi countered by blaming a "foreign army" for the disturbances.
Calls for a ceasefire and withdrawal of rebel forces have come from both the African Union and the United Nations amid rising tensions and violence in the region.
