The Rwanda Defence Force confirmed on Tuesday that three soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) penetrated its border, leading to one soldier being shot and killed, while two others were taken into custody.
The official announcement revealed that the soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) crossed the border from the DRC into Rwanda’s Rubavu District. Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF), with the help of local community watch group Irondo, captured two soldiers, while the third soldier was fatally shot during an exchange of gunfire with the patrol. No casualties were reported on the Rwandan side. The captured soldiers, identified as Sergeant Asman Mupenda Termite and Corporal Anyasaka Nkoi Lucien, are currently under investigation.
Rwanda and the DRC, which share a 221 km long border, have had a tense relationship for some time now. Tensions were heightened recently when the DRC accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group. Back in June 2023, Human Rights Watch (HRW) held Rwanda-backed M23 rebels accountable for multiple war crimes, including murder and rape, in the eastern part of the DRC.
Fast forward to July 2023, the European Union (EU) condemned the escalating violence and atrocities in the DRC, urging Rwanda to pull its troops from eastern DRC and to cease its support for the M23. However, Rwanda has consistently rejected these accusations, counter-accusing the DRC of collaborating with the National Liberation Front of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu rebel group that was responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The longstanding border dispute remains a pressing issue, with both sides blaming each other for territorial violations. In July 2023, the DRC claimed RDF forces crossed its borders, an accusation RDF refuted as “false accusations.”
For further details, visit
JURIST – News.