GENEVA, Feb 7 – Rwanda has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of planning a major offensive against its territory, dismissing allegations that it is fueling instability within its neighbor’s borders. The claims were made on Friday by Rwanda’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, James Ngango, during an emergency session of the Human Rights Council.
Tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa have surged in recent months, with both sides blaming each other for the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. The region has been plunged into chaos following the capture of Goma by the M23 rebel group, which is reportedly backed by Rwanda. The fighting has left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Ngango stated that Rwanda possesses evidence of an impending large-scale assault orchestrated by the DRC and its allies. He alleged that significant stockpiles of weapons, including rockets, kamikaze drones, and heavy artillery, had been amassed in and around Goma airport. According to him, these armaments were not intended for use against the M23 rebels but were instead directed at Rwanda.
“The threat posed by this situation is clear and imminent,” Ngango said. “Rwanda rejects any attempts by the DRC to frame it as the cause of eastern Congo’s instability.”
Despite his assertions, it remained unclear whether he believed the threat was still active or had been mitigated by the M23’s advances. When approached for further clarification, Ngango declined to comment.
Reacting to the accusations, DRC’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku, dismissed Rwanda’s claims as misinformation. “Rwanda is once again constructing an empire of lies,” he told Reuters. “These statements are nothing more than attempts to divert attention while they commit grave human rights violations.”
