Rwanda accuses DRC and Burundi of ‘deliberate violations’ of peace process
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The Rwandan government has accused Congo and Burundi of deliberately violating the peace process in the eastern DRC. On Tuesday, the armed group M23, backed by Kigali, entered the outskirts of the strategic Congolese city of Uvira, on the border with Burundi. World leaders have called for all parties to respect the peace treaty that was ratified last week.
Uvira is the last major agglomeration in South Kivu not yet under M23 control. According to UN experts, M23 receives support from 6,000 to 7,000 Rwandan soldiers in eastern Congo.
The M23 has made a new breakthrough, threatening the strategic town of Uvira in the east of the country, which appears to be a violation of the agreement ratified last Thursday in Washington by Kinshasa and Kigali.
“The responsibility of the ceasefire violations, current attacks and fighting in South Kivu province, in Congo, cannot be attributed to Rwanda,” the Rwandan government said.
In a press release, Kigali accused the Congolese and Burundian armies of “systematically bombing villages on the Rwandan border” “with fighter planes and attack drones”, requiring M23 to act against the attacks.
Western countries, including Belgium, called on the M23 rebels and their Rwandan allies to cease their advance in a joint statement on Tuesday night.
The International Contact Group for the Great Lakes (ICG), made up of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, USA and EU, expressed its concern at the escalation in fighting in the region.
It called on all parties to “honour their obligations to protect civilians, adhere to all aspects of UNSC resolution 2773, including full respect of territorial integrity, to uphold their commitments under the Washington Accords of 4 December 2025 and immediately deescalate the situation”.
Belgian Foreign minister Maxime Prévot warned of the threat to civilians. “Regional stability is at stake. It is imperative to protect civilians, who are once again the main victims of this violence,” he said on X.
“In view of this unacceptable surge of violence, everyone has a role to play in working towards an urgent de-escalation. For now, and given the M23’s rapid military advance toward Uvira supported by the Rwandan armed forces, the responsibility lies with them to immediately halt the offensive and withdraw.”
Vendors and customers at a market in Uvira, 9 December 2025 © PHOTO AFP
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