The Rwandan government has rejected allegations by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that its military was involved in the killing of 319 civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement released Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MINAFFET) described the claims as “baseless” and lacking evidence, testimony or credible grounds to implicate the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) in the alleged atrocities.
“Linking the RDF to these allegations is unwarranted, inappropriate and raises questions about the professionalism of OHCHR and its reporting methods,” the ministry said.
The ministry also pointed to what it called the repeated failure of the UN peacekeeping mission in eastern DRC, MONUSCO, to protect civilians from ongoing insecurity in the region.
Kigali warned that OHCHR’s report could undermine regional and international efforts to bring peace and stability to eastern DRC, an area plagued by decades of armed conflict and humanitarian crises.
Relations between Rwanda and the DRC have been strained in recent years, with Kinshasa accusing Kigali of supporting the M23 rebel group — charges Rwanda has consistently denied. The new allegations come amid heightened tensions and ongoing regional diplomacy aimed at resolving the conflict.
