Rwanda has defended its actions in eastern DRC, citing security threats from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia it claims is backed by the Congolese army.
In a statement, Rwanda justified its actions as defensive, pointing to a January 26 attack on Rubavu that killed 16 people and injured 177.
"The FDLR has carried out at least 20 attacks on Rwandan territory and is now embedded within the Congolese army, as a strategic ally," it stated.
Kigali also accused the UK of ignoring ethnic tensions fueling the crisis and harboring six suspected 1994 genocidaires.
"While other Western countries have tried, extradited, or deported genocide suspects, the UK remains the only safe haven in the West," the statement emphasized.
The statement concluded by urging the UK to participate in the peace process backed by the African Union and initiated by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, advising support for this effort instead of promoting the DRC's focus on a solely military solution.
Previously, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of expansionist ambitions in the region and blamed it for the crisis in eastern DRC.
Meanwhile, UN reports indicate that M23 rebels have advanced southward, reaching Burundi’s border. According to Bintou Keita, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo, the town of Kamanyola, located at the crossroads of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi, was captured on Tuesday.