Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes
Israeli media outlet: Security incident reported in the Gaza Strip
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation

Rwandan Ambassador expelled as DRC blames Rwanda for supporting M23

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 30 Oct 2022 12:56
4 Min Read

This week, the OCHA office in the DRC said around 34,500 people had fled the Rutshuru region.

  • x
  • M23 members (Reuters)
    M23 members (Reuters)

Saturday witnessed the expulsion of the Rwandan ambassador, Vincent Karega, in Kinshasa as M23 rebels that authorities accuse Rwanda of backing have been gaining traction in the African nation.

In an announcement by government Spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, after a governmental meeting to assess DR Congo's security situation, the recent move by the M23 led the UN peacekeeping mission to increase its "troop alert level" in the area. 

Muyaya commented that in the past few days, "a massive arrival of elements of the Rwandan element to support the M23 terrorists" against DR Congo's troops had been observed, adding, "This criminal and terrorist adventure" forced thousands of people to be persecuted and to leave behind their homes. 

Headed by President Felix Tshisekedi, the defense council requested that the government hand over 48 hours for the ambassador to depart the country. 

M23 rebel fighters have taken control over the regions of Kiwanja and Rutshuru-centre, according to witness statements to AFP on Saturday, and they were also spotted in Rugari, close to the border with Uganda. 

In Kiwanja, four peacekeepers were injured, according to the UN mission announcement, with civil society representative Jacques Niyonzima stating, "Kiwanja and Rutshuru-centre are in M23 hands,"

He added, "The rebels have held two meetings and told local people to go about their work and those displaced to return to their villages, saying security was now guaranteed."

Civilian casualties were also reported in Kiwanja, "in our area we recorded three deaths, a man, a woman, and her child, killed by shells that landed on houses," said local resident Eric Muhindo.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 13 civilians, including four children, died in the fighting between June 19 and 21 in Rutshuru territory in North Kivu, as hostilities increase. 

This week, the OCHA office in the DRC said around 34,500 people had fled the Rutshuru region.

Related News

New York beekeeper accused of hiding Rwanda genocide role

Rwanda seeks extradition of genocide suspects from UK in migrant deal

"Calm has returned. People are moving about and shops are opening," an anonymous hospital official in Rutshuru-center said. 

The UN's MONUSCO mission demanded an immediate stop to the violence as it condemned "the hostile acts of M23," relaying via Twitter that it was providing "air support, intelligence and equipment" and medical assistance.

🚨La #MONUSCO🇺🇳 condamne fermement les actions hostiles du #M23 et leurs répercussions graves sur les populations civiles et l’appelle à cesser immédiatement toute belligérance.

— MONUSCO (@MONUSCO) October 29, 2022

MONUSCO confirmed the setup of an "operations coordination center" alongside the army and was conducting reconnaissance and surveillance flights, although no further details about the alert level were declared. 

The M23 was formed by former members of a Tutsi militia in Congo that was originally supported by Rwanda and Uganda. The rebels were absorbed into the Congolese army as part of a peace agreement reached on March 23, 2009. They mutinied in 2012, claiming that the agreement had not been upheld, and renamed their group the March 23 (M23) Movement.

The M23, one of the armed factions roaming eastern DR Congo, temporarily took Goma before being defeated and pushed out of the nation.

Following its defeat, the M23 negotiated an agreement with Kinshasa that contained measures for its fighters' reintegration into civilian society. However, the group has accused the government of breaching the agreement once more, and combat restarted last year.

Rwanda rejected the allegations of backing the M23 and counter-responded with the claim that the DRC works with a Hutu rebel movement, the Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) involved in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis, which Kinshasa denied. 

However, recent reporting by independent UN experts according to AFP in August revealed that Rwanda directly supported the M23, and a US representative to the United Nations this week claimed Rwandan defense forces provided assistance to them as well.

As a result of that and to ease tensions, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said after a phone call conducted with the leaders that Angola's President Joao Lourenco plans on deploying his Foreign Minister Tete Antonio to the DRC to mediate the conflict as Guterres attempts to discuss matters with both Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

When relations between the DRC and Rwanda were coming on to good terms after Tshisekedi went into office as President in 2019, the escalation of hostilities by the M23 cut that short. 

  • Tutsi
  • DR Congo
  • M23 rebels
  • Uganda
  • Hutu
  • Rwanda
  • MONUSCO

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS