KINSHASA — The Democratic Republic of Congo has accused neighbouring Rwanda of being responsible for the deaths of more than 1,500 civilians in eastern Congo over the past month, a claim that threatens to destabilise fragile peace efforts in the Great Lakes region.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Congolese government said the provisional toll of civilian victims from “Rwandan operations” since early December now exceeds 1,500, figures reportedly drawn from civil society groups, humanitarian sources and official state services. It alleged the killings involved a mix of bombs and so-called “kamikaze drones”, describing the campaign as a “clear act of aggression against national sovereignty” and a serious violation of international law.
The surge in violence coincided with an offensive by the March 23 Movement (M23) — a Tutsi-led rebel group that Washington, the United Nations, and Kinshasa accuse of receiving support from Kigali, an allegation Rwanda vehemently denies.
Just days after the governments of the DRC and Rwanda signed a US-brokered peace deal on Dec. 4 aimed at ending months of hostilities, M23 fighters captured the strategic city of Uvira in South Kivu province, close to the Burundi border. That capture triggered fresh displacement, with tens of thousands of civilians fleeing across the frontier.
Kinshasa’s statement accused Kigali of deploying three new battalions into South Kivu and suggested that the offensive is part of a broader strategy to advance toward the mineral-rich Tanganyika region. Rwanda has not publicly acknowledged direct military involvement, instead dismissing allegations of backing the rebels.
United Nations agencies estimate that the recent upsurge in fighting has displaced over half a million people in eastern Congo, compounding a humanitarian crisis that had already been deepening over years of conflict. The UN has warned of a potential regional conflagration if the violence is not urgently contained.
Humanitarian sources warn that the civilian death toll may yet rise sharply. Displacement camps along borders with Burundi and even inside Rwanda are filling as families seek refuge from artillery strikes and street-to-street clashes. Many fleeing civilians are women and children, according to firsthand accounts shared with aid agencies.
Aid organisations have repeatedly sounded the alarm about restrictions on humanitarian access, rising malnutrition, and the risks of disease outbreaks due to overcrowding in makeshift shelters. United Nations officials stress that the unraveling security situation imperils long-term development and regional stability.
Rwandan authorities have consistently rejected accusations that the Rwandan Defence Force is operating inside Congolese territory, insisting that claims of military intervention are unfounded and risk undermining peace efforts. Kigali points to security threats posed by groups such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) — a militia of some Hutu fighters notorious for their role in the 1994 genocide — which operate in eastern Congo.
The government in Kigali has called on international partners to support diplomatic avenues rather than inflame tensions, insisting that misinformation harms prospects for lasting peace.
The United Nations and several Western governments have urged all parties to honour ceasefire commitments and prevent further civilian harm. However, repeated ceasefires have been violated in recent months, with analysts warning that unless substantive political dialogue resumes, the cycle of violence could entrench itself further.
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