The Democratic Republic of Congo has accused Rwanda of killing more than 1,500 civilians in eastern DRC since early December, following a renewed offensive by the M23 rebel group. The allegations come despite a US-brokered peace agreement signed by both Governments on December 4.
According to a DRC statement issued on Wednesday, the reported deaths resulted from what Kinshasa described as Rwandan military operations involving bombs and kamikaze drones. The DRC further accused Kigali of deploying three additional battalions into South Kivu province to support an advance towards the strategic Kalemie axis in Tanganyika, a key mining region. Rwanda has denied backing the M23.
The M23 resumed hostilities on December 2 after a six-month lull and captured the city of Uvira on December 10, triggering mass displacement, with tens of thousands fleeing to Burundi. Although the group announced plans to withdraw from Uvira on December 17, both Washington and the DRC have questioned the credibility of the claim.
The United Nations says more than 80,000 people have crossed into Burundi following the latest advance, while at least 500,000 people have been internally displaced in South Kivu. The conflict, rooted in the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition over mineral resources, continues to deepen an already severe humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo.