Congolese soldier dead, 2 Rwandan police officers injured in border shoot-out

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - A Congolese soldier was killed and two Rwandan police officers injured in a shoot-out at their shared border in western Rwanda on Friday.

In a statement, the Rwandan military said an unidentified soldier of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo armed with an AK-47 rifle crossed the border and began shooting at Rwandan security personnel and civilians.

“A Rwanda National Police officer on duty shot back in self-defense to protect civilians crossing the border and border agents. The Congolese soldier was shot dead 25 meters (82 feet) inside Rwandan territory,” the statement said.

The army said it has invited the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), a regional military framework for 12 countries of the Great Lakes region, to investigate the incident, which took place near Goma, capital of the eastern North Kivu province.

Rwanda has informed DR Congo authorities and officials of both countries are visiting the scene, the army said.

In a tweet, Patrick Muyaya, communication and media minister of DR Congo, said the government is “closely monitoring the situation in Goma,” while also calling on the EJVM to investigate the incident.

The shoot-out comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries after DR Congo accused Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels in renewed fighting in North Kivu. Rwanda has repeatedly dismissed the claims.

Pro-Congolese army demonstrators stormed the shared western border with Rwanda on Wednesday to protest the country’s alleged support for the M23 rebels.

Earlier this week, DR Congo’s Supreme Council of Defense directed the government to suspend all treaties with Rwanda.