Western embassies in Congo attacked, accused of complicity in violence
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Embassies of Western nations have come under attack in the Congolese capital, as protesters accuse them of backing the M23 militants currently assaulting the DRC.
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People protest in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, against the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels' advances into eastern Congo's capital Goma. (AP)
Police in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), used tear gas on Tuesday to disperse protesters following attacks on embassies allegedly linked to the conflict in the country’s east.
The protesters directed their anger at embassies of nations they accuse of supporting Rwanda’s backing of M23 rebels, who have taken control of Goma, the eastern provincial capital.
According to a European diplomat cited by Reuters, the embassies targeted included those of France, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, as well as the Dutch and Belgian ones. Protesters set fire to the Belgian embassy's gate, while Dutch and Congolese authorities worked to stabilize the protests that emerged before the embassy building.
Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa 🔥✊🏿🇨🇩 pic.twitter.com/YM2i0Zqa2H
— K.Diallo ☭ (@nyeusi_waasi) January 28, 2025
Meanwhile, a witness reported that soldiers did not intervene to stop protesters targeting the Kenyan embassy, whereas a Reuters reporter observed the looting of the Ugandan embassy.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot shared on X that the French embassy in Kinshasa was attacked and briefly caught fire, but the blaze was quickly brought under control.
L’ambassade de France à Kinshasa a été attaquée ce matin par des manifestants, qui ont provoqué un incendie désormais maîtrisé. Ces attaques sont inadmissibles. Tout est mis en œuvre pour assurer la sécurité de nos agents et ressortissants.
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) January 28, 2025
One protester expressed his frustration to Reuters, saying "All of this is because of Rwanda. What Rwanda is doing is in complicity with France, Belgium, the United States, and others. The people of Congo are tired. How many times should we die?"
Congo's Communications Minister, Patrick Muyaya, addressed the nation on television, calling on protesters to cease their attacks. He later announced that the situation had been contained.
"We have every right... to express our anger, but let's do it peacefully. Let's not attack the consular infrastructures of countries accredited in Congo," he said.
M23 rebels seize Goma
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel militia announced on Monday that its forces captured the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking one of the most intense escalations both countries have faced in years.
On Sunday, M23 militants seized key towns near Goma, including Minova and Sake, disrupting the supply of food and goods, with reports suggesting Rwanda may target Bukavu next.
Fierce battles between M23 advance groups and the Congolese army were reported all day on Saturday, leading to the death of 9 South African troops and a Uruguayan member of the UN peacekeeping mission, in addition to the injury of four others.
The battle seemed to be pushing even closer to Goma's outskirts, with one source claiming that combat had reached Nzulo, almost within the city boundaries, bypassing the massive refugee camps that house more than a million people displaced by the conflict.
An M23 commander then announced the seizure of Goma, while the United States and France acknowledged its occupation, although officials have yet to publicly announce it.
#DRCongo 🇨🇩: apocalyptic scenes in #Goma as hundreds of thousands of people are forced to flee, desperate to escape from the advancing #M23 and Rwandan forces.
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) January 26, 2025
Many of the people have been on the run for over 30 years at this point. pic.twitter.com/rYX1jhGXjZ
