DRC accuses Rwanda of peace deal violations as M23 advances in the east

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi alleges Rwanda has violated newly-signed accord arsenic M23 fighters reportedly beforehand towards Uvira.

The president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Felix Tshisekedi, has accused Rwanda of violating a recently signed US-brokered bid deal, arsenic the Kigali-backed M23 equipped radical pressed up with a accelerated beforehand connected a municipality adjacent the borderline with Burundi.

Tshisekedi told lawmakers connected Monday that Rwandan forces had carried retired attacks successful respective locations successful South Kivu state successful the days since helium and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, signed a bid accord successful Washington, DC connected December 4, aimed astatine ending years of conflict.

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“Despite our bully religion and the precocious ratified agreement, it is wide that Rwanda is already violating its commitments,” Tshisekedi alleged, claiming that the Rwandan service had carried retired and supported attacks with dense weaponry “on the very time aft the signing”.

There was nary contiguous remark by Rwanda. The Anadolu quality bureau cited Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe arsenic calling akin accusations against the Rwandan service “ridiculous” and an effort to displacement blame.

Rwanda denies backing M23, but says it faces a menace from equipped groups with links to the 1994 Rwandan genocide contiguous successful eastbound DRC.

Thursday’s signing of the accord, which saw some sides reaffirm their committedness to a United States- and Qatar-brokered statement reached successful June, was hailed by US President Donald Trump arsenic a caller section for the region, adjacent arsenic fighting continued.

“It is an astonishing day: Great time for Africa, large time for the satellite and for these 2 countries,” Trump said astatine the time.

Clashes adjacent Burundi border

In eastbound DRC, the M23 equipped radical has been advancing connected the municipality of Uvira adjacent the borderline with Burundi, the past large municipality centre successful South Kivu state yet to autumn to the group, the AFP quality bureau reported.

Quoting section and subject sources, the bureau reported that hundreds of Congolese and allied Burundian troops had sought refuge wrong Burundi amid the group’s advance.

Recent clashes were besides reported adjacent Luvungi, a colony astir 60km (40 miles) northbound of Uvira. Quoting residents, the Reuters quality bureau reported that M23 fighters had seized the village.

Fighting was besides reported successful the adjacent municipality of Sange, situated betwixt Uvira and Luvungi, with Reuters reporting that arsenic galore arsenic 36 radical were killed successful evident weaponry oregon grenade attacks.

On Monday, Burundi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it said was an onslaught by Rwanda connected its ungraded adjacent Cibitoke, a municipality bordering Rwanda and the DRC, which had wounded 2 people, including a 12-year-old child.

Reporting from Goma, the biggest metropolis successful eastbound DRC, Al Jazeera’s Alain Uaykani said tensions were precocious arsenic M23 precocious connected Uvira.

He said the DRC had been concentrating subject resources successful the country preceding months to effort to ward disconnected immoderate advance.

“But this could not halt the beforehand of M23,” helium said, adding that “disorganisation” betwixt the DRC’s subject and its allies was adding to the challenges of defending against the group.

Washington ‘deeply concerned’

The US State Department said it was “deeply acrophobic by the ongoing unit successful eastbound DRC”.

“Rwanda, which continues to supply enactment to M23, indispensable forestall further escalation,” a spokesperson said.

A elder Trump medication authoritative told Reuters that the US was monitoring the concern “including areas wherever actions connected the crushed bash not yet align with the commitments made”. The authoritative said the medication was moving with some sides, and that Trump had made wide helium was “expecting contiguous results”.

While Trump hailed the “miracle” statement signed connected Thursday, which includes an economical constituent intended to unafraid US supplies of captious minerals, observers were sceptical that it would bring peace.

A bid of ceasefire agreements person failed to enactment an extremity to warring successful the country’s restive eastbound implicit the years.