DR Congo Denies Alleged Handover of Hutu Rebels to Rwanda as Staged Incident
The DRC military has denied claims of capturing alleged FDLR fighters, stating a video of their handover to Rwanda was fabricated. The M23 rebel group claimed responsibility for their capture, raising tensions between the DRC and Rwanda. Accusations of war crimes and humanitarian crises mark the escalating conflict in the region, which threatens broader regional stability.
On Sunday, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) military refuted claims that 20 fighters connected to the Rwandan genocide were captured on its soil, labeling a video of their handover to Rwanda as “faked.” This statement followed the M23 armed group’s assertion, earlier that weekend, that it had taken fighters from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia established by Hutu extremists involved in the 1994 genocide.
Rwanda has long asserted that FDLR operatives are present in eastern DRC. Recently, the M23 has made significant territorial gains in this region, including the critical provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu. They released a video depicting their forces purportedly transferring 20 alleged FDLR members to Rwanda at a border crossing between the two nations.
The Congolese military leadership criticized the incident as being “faked” and part of a larger Rwandan strategy aimed at undermining the DRC army’s credibility. They further accused Rwandan officials of fabricating the capture narrative, claiming, “The Rwandan authorities, who specialize in the art of lies and manipulation, took old FDLR detainees, dressed them in new military fatigues, and passed them off as FDLR fighters newly captured in Goma.”
Additionally, the DRC military accused Rwandan forces of conducting “summary executions” of injured soldiers at a field hospital in Goma, labeling these acts as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The situation in eastern DRC has escalated, prompting fears of a wider regional conflict involving Rwanda, Uganda, and other nations.
The DRC government has consistently charged Rwanda with supporting the M23 rebels, a claim that Rwanda disputes. Conversely, Rwanda maintains that Kinshasa collaborates with the FDLR, a charge that the DRC government denies. The ongoing military confrontations have resulted in substantial displacement and humanitarian crises, with analysts warning that the persistent turmoil poses a significant threat to regional stability, resulting in the deaths of several peacekeepers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military vehemently denies claims regarding the capture of alleged FDLR fighters, asserting that the handover to Rwanda was staged. The accusations highlight the tensions between the DRC and Rwanda amid ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, raising concerns about potential regional instability and humanitarian impacts as military operations continue.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
