Rwanda has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi of intentionally breaching a ceasefire in eastern DRC, just days after a peace agreement was signed in Washington.
The allegation comes amid escalating violence, with Rwandan-backed M23 rebels entering the strategic city of Uvira, near the Burundian border, late Tuesday. Uvira is the latest major town to fall in the conflict-ridden, mineral-rich region.
The renewed fighting has forced thousands of civilians and numerous Congolese soldiers to flee across the border into Burundi. Reports indicate that Burundi has deployed troops to assist the DRC in combating the M23 and its Rwandan allies.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Rwanda’s foreign ministry maintained that the recent ceasefire violations “cannot be placed on Rwanda.”
The ministry accused “the Congolese Army (FARDC) and the Burundian Army (FDNB)… of systematically bombing civilian villages near the Rwandan border using fighter jets and attack drones.” It added that the M23 had been compelled to respond to these attacks.
“These deliberate breaches of recently negotiated agreements pose serious obstacles to peace,” the statement concluded.
The latest escalation undermines an accord brokered by US President Donald Trump and signed by Kinshasa and Kigali on December 4, less than a week ago.
In response to the renewed hostilities, the United States and several European countries issued a joint statement Tuesday, calling on the M23 and Kigali to immediately halt their offensive.
