RWANDA
Just days after the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington, tensions have flared on the ground, with the Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) accusing Kinshasa of undermining the accord through aggressive military deployments in the eastern region.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, July 6, AFC/M23’s political spokesperson, Laurence Kanyuka, denounced what he described as a “massive and provocative deployment” of Congolese forces and military equipment.
The group claims that coalition forces, including troops from the Burundi National Defense Force, have been targeting densely populated areas with heavy weaponry.
“This decision is criminally irresponsible,” Kanyuka stated. “It borders on a crime against humanity.”
The deployment, according to the rebel movement, constitutes a “blatant disregard and a direct insult to the ongoing talks,” referring specifically to diplomatic efforts currently underway in Doha under Qatari mediation.
The group expressed frustration over what it views as Kinshasa’s failure to honour agreed confidence-building measures, despite AFC/M23’s own claimed compliance.
“This duplicity is unacceptable,” the statement read.
“Faced with this criminal military aggression which directly threatens innocent civilian populations, we reserve the legitimate right to protect them and defend our positions.”
The fresh allegations come amid renewed hopes for peace following the June 27 agreement signed in Washington.
That deal, brokered by the United States, commits both Kinshasa and Kigali to end hostilities, recognise each other’s sovereignty, refrain from supporting non-state armed groups, and carry out the CONOPS—the Harmonized Plan for the Neutralization of the FDLR and the Disengagement of Forces.
The agreement also includes the establishment of a Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) and provisions for humanitarian aid and regional economic cooperation.
However, growing unrest on the ground is raising alarm among observers. Reports from the Congolese army (FARDC) last week also noted the presence of an unidentified aircraft flying illegally over Congolese airspace, further compounding fears about the fragility of the peace process.
As regional tensions resurface, the international community is now closely watching whether the landmark accord can survive its earliest test.
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