Reuters
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The United States on Friday accused Rwanda of fomenting instability and war, as advances by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo threaten to derail President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker peace in the region.
“Rwanda is leading the region to increased instability and war,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Walz told the UN Security Council. “We will use the tools at our disposal to hold those who undermine peace accountable.”
The rebel victory brings conflict to neighboring Burundi, which has long had a military presence in eastern Congo, and further fears that fighting that has already killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more since January could spill further into the region.
“Let me be clear: there are limits to restraint. If these irresponsible attacks continue, it will be extremely difficult to avoid a direct escalation between the two countries,” Burundi’s Ambassador to the United Nations Zephirin Manilatanga told the Security Council.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United Nations Martin Goga accused Burundi of attacking Rwandan territory, saying: “Rwanda is not at war with the Republic of Burundi and has no intention of doing so.” He accused the Democratic Republic of the Congo of violating the ceasefire agreement and said Rwanda was committed to implementing its parts of the Washington peace agreement.
Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kaikwamba Wagner called on the Security Council to hold Rwanda accountable. “We have reached a critical moment. Either the international order accepts open defiance by Rwanda, or this Council takes responsibility for it. Impunity has lasted too long,” she told the Council.
M23 claims to be fighting to protect Tutsi communities in eastern Congo. The latest M23 expansion into mineral-rich eastern Congo comes a week after Congolese President Felix Shisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame met with President Trump in Washington and confirmed their commitment to a U.S.-brokered peace deal.
“We call on Rwanda to honor its commitments and further recognize the right of the Democratic Republic of the Congo government to defend its territory and its sovereign right to attract the Burundian military to its territory,” Walz told the 15-member council. “We urge restraint and are working with all sides to avoid further escalation, including refraining from hostile anti-Tutsi statements.”
“The United States is deeply concerned and deeply disappointed by the renewed outbreak of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Walz said. He told the Security Council that since Rwanda re-emerged in 2021, it had strategically controlled the M23 and the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which he called the rebel political wing.
“For years, Kigali has been closely involved in the planning and execution of the war in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, providing military and political direction to M23 forces and the AFC,” Walz said. “The Rwanda Defense Force provides material, logistical and training support to the M23, and as of early December, approximately 5,000 to 7,000 troops were fighting alongside the M23 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
Rwanda denies supporting M23 and blames Congolese and Burundian forces for the renewed fighting.
The M23 has not taken part in the Washington-mediated negotiations. It is participating in another parallel round of negotiations with the Congolese government, hosted by Qatar.
