Rwanda dismisses report by UN Group of Experts on backing Congo rebels

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – The Rwandan government on Thursday dismissed a recent report by the UN Group of Experts accusing Kigali of backing Congolese M23 rebels.

In a report released this week, the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo cited “evidence of direct intervention” of Rwandan forces on DR Congo territory to either reinforce the M23 rebel group or to conduct military operations against Rwandan rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

But a statement issued by Kigali accused the UN group of ignoring the “multiple violations against Rwanda’s territorial integrity, and the DRC’s pursuit of the path of an all-out war.”

“The report relies heavily on questionable evidence as well as unreliable sources who are invested in perpetuating the falsehood that Rwanda is to blame for insecurity and other internal problems in the DRC,” the statement said.

The report warned of worsening attacks on civilians and a risk of heightened political instability ahead of the country's presidential elections set for December.

“The Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo noted with concern that dynamics related to the electoral process, combined with the ongoing heightened conflict in the east and strained regional relations, posed a threat to the country’s peace and stability,” the report says in part.

The Rwanda government’s statement said Kigali remains committed to working within regional mechanisms, particularly the Nairobi and Luanda processes, to contribute to stability in the Great Lakes Region.

“Rwanda’s reinforced defensive and preventive mechanisms will remain in place to guard against violations of our airspace and borders, and counter any spillover into Rwanda from any armed group, in order to ensure total security for our territory and our people,” it said.

Last month, the Democratic Republic of Congo asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to investigate alleged crimes committed by the M23 in the mineral-rich eastern region.

Kinshasa has accused Kigali of backing the rebel group since its resurgence in November 2021, a charge Rwanda consistently denies.

Kigali has in turn accused the Congolese army of allying with the FDLR, whose elements are accused of participating in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group.

The UN experts’ report also cited evidence of the FDLR fighting the M23 “alongside” Congolese government forces.

Rwanda’s military actions in DR Congo were “to reinforce the M23 by providing troops and materiel and to use them to secure control over mine sites, gain political influence in the DRC and decimate the FDLR,” the UN experts’ report said.

M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, commenting on the report said the allegations were “not verified.”

Thousands of people have fled their homes since the resurgence of the M23, according to the UN.