DR Congo Denies Staged Handover of Alleged Hutu Rebels to Rwanda

The DRC military denied claims regarding the capture of 20 alleged Hutu rebels, stating the handover to Rwanda was staged. The M23 armed group, backed by Rwanda, had initially asserted they captured FDLR members. The DRC accused Rwanda of fabricating evidence and committing war crimes, warning of escalating conflict in the region.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) military refuted claims regarding the capture of 20 fighters supposedly affiliated with the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In a statement released Sunday, the armed forces labeled a video of their purported handover to Rwanda as fabricated. This assertion followed a declaration by the M23 armed group, which accused of supporting Rwanda, that they had apprehended members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia formed by Hutus involved in the genocide.

The M23’s actions, aided by Rwandan support, have led to significant territorial gains in the eastern DRC, particularly in regions rich in minerals, including the pivotal cities of Goma and Bukavu. Subsequently, the M23 publicly shared a video exhibiting the transfer of the alleged FDLR combatants to Rwandan forces at a border crossing. The DRC’s military leaders expressed disdain for this event, labeling it as “a faked incident in poor taste orchestrated with the sole aim of discrediting our army.”

Furthermore, DRC high command accused Rwandan forces of engaging in numerous violations, including the summary execution of injured soldiers at a facility in Goma. This action was termed as constitutive of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ongoing conflict in eastern DRC grows increasingly alarming, with concerns mounting over its potential expansion into a broader regional conflict, drawing in neighboring nations such as Rwanda and Uganda.

In summary, the DRC military has categorically denied claims involving the capture and handover of alleged FDLR fighters to Rwanda, denouncing it as a staged incident. The accusations against the Rwandan government highlight a broader context of manipulation that casts doubt on regional stability. As conflict escalates in the eastern DRC, there is a pressing need for international attention and intervention to prevent a wider regional war.

Original Source: jordantimes.com