HARARE, February 2. /TASS/. The Foreign Ministry of Rwanda denies accusations of backing rebels from the M23 movement in the ongoing hostilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, voiced by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Rwanda rejects the accusations against the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF), made in the statement of the Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), held on 31 January 2025. The RDF defends Rwanda’s borders from threats and protects civilians, it does not attack civilians," the statement says.
The Rwandan Foreign Ministry also accused SADC of deploying an "offensive force" to "support the war of the Government of DRC against its own people," namely "the M23 and the members of their community." It also accused the DR Congo government of plans to attack Rwanda and topple its government.
The Foreign Ministry has called for a political solution to the conflict and proposed a joint summit of the East African Community and SADC on the issue.
The DRC government accuses Rwanda of both direct aggression and support for rebels from the March 23 Movement. These rebels, assisted by Rwanda, captured Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province in eastern DRC, and are now attacking Bukavu, the capital of the neighboring South Kivu province.
There are currently 1,100 South African troops in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force. In the past eight days, 13 South African servicemen were killed in fighting with rebels and Rwandan units supporting them. The total number of South African troops killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is approaching 20.
In late 2023, the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo reached an agreement with the SADC to deploy a joint force in the east of the country to counter the rebels. The SADC forces have a mandate to take direct part in hostilities. In addition to South Africa, the SADC force includes contingents from Malawi and Tanzania.
Participants of the emergency SADC summit in Harare on January 31 noted with concern the latest hostilities in DR Congto and called for a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis.