What You Need to Know
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Ndohungirehe has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of spreading “unlimited propaganda” following claims that Congolese forces captured Rwandan soldiers during clashes with M23 rebels. He dismissed these allegations as a farce and presented evidence to support his claims, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two nations.
Africa. Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Ndohungirehe has accused the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo of promoting “unlimited propaganda” after the Congolese army announced that it had captured Rwandan soldiers during battles with M23 rebels in North and South Kivu provinces. The minister stated in a post on the platform “X” that “none of the Rwandan Defense Forces were arrested in Congo or presented to the media,” describing the situation as a “poor farce that even its creators cannot believe.”
Ndohungirehe shared a photo of a young man named “Ndiambaji Abuba,” who had previously been presented by the Congolese army spokesperson in February 2024 as a Rwandan soldier, but later appeared in tattered civilian clothes as a new captive. The minister considered this re-presentation as evidence of the “fabrication” of the accusations.
The Rwandan minister described these allegations as an attempt by Congolese authorities to “cover up a scandal” involving former army spokesperson Sylvain Ekinyigi, who made anti-Tutsi remarks during a television interview in December, sparking a wave of local and international condemnation.
He accused the Congolese authorities of “encouraging hate speech” against Tutsi communities, including the Banyamulenge in South Kivu, instead of working to calm the situation during the holiday season.
The relationship between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo has been historically fraught, marked by conflict and accusations. The tensions escalated significantly during the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Rwanda intervened in the Congo’s civil wars, leading to widespread violence and humanitarian crises. The M23 rebel group, which has been a focal point of conflict in eastern Congo, has further complicated this relationship, with both nations accusing each other of supporting various armed groups in the region.
