Rwanda Defence Forces have shot dead a Congolese soldier inside their territory.
According to the statement issued by RDF, the killed Congolese soldier was shot in self defence after unidentified gunmen crossed into their country at Rubavu district bordering the two countries.
It is alleged that the Congolese soldiers injured two Rwandan police officers which prompted others officers to fire back.
“This morning at around 0845 am an unidentified Congolese soldier armed with an AK47-rifle crossed the ‘Petite Barriere’ border in Rubavu district and began shooting at Rwanda security personnel and civilians crossing the border, injuring two police officers. A Rwanda National Police officer on duty shot back in self defence to protect civilians crossing the border and border agents,” reads the statement from Kigali dated June, 17, 2022.
It further continues “The Congolese soldier was shot dead 25 meters inside Rwanda territory; the RDF has invited the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) to investigate the matter. Rwanda has informed DRC authorities, and DRC-Rwanda border officials are visiting the scene”.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s military accused Rwanda of an invasion after M23 rebels captured a key border town of Bunagana, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the two neighbours.
DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels who are destabilizing the Kinshasa government through uncoordinated attacks that have seen civilians raped, injured, killed and properties destroyed.
On the other hand, Rwanda, a country that went through a genocide in 1994 where about a million people were killed, has denied the accusations by DR Congo and instead says rebels who want to topple the Kagame government in Kigali operate within Congo.
Rwanda has strongly denied accusations over the years that it supports the M23 rebels fighting in DRC. The two countries have long accused each other of supporting various rival armed groups.
The United Nations on Saturday called for immediate talks between DRC and Rwanda to resolve the growing cross-border crisis.
