Published on 04/02/2025
Rwanda has firmly dismissed allegations from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Summit held on January 31, which accuses the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) of fighting alongside M23 and attacking civilian population.
Rwanda reiterated her position to defend her borders in the wake of imminent attacks from DRC, following a major arsenal seized by M23 group during the fight over the control of Goma, which was planned to be used to attack Rwanda.
Rwanda has categorically rejected a statement from the Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held on 31 January, which accuses the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) of fighting alongside M23 and attacking the civilian population.
Rwanda reiterated its position to defend its borders in the wake of imminent attacks from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following a major arsenal seized by the M23 group during the fight over the control of Goma, which was allegedly planned to be used to attack Rwanda.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation on Sunday, 2 February 2025, stated that the RDF is deployed to defend Rwanda’s borders from threats and protect civilians, but it does not attack civilians.
Rwanda also accused SADC of aiding attacks by the DRC on its own people, as fighting continues in the eastern part of the country.
“SADC has deployed an offensive force, SAMIDRC, to support the war of the Government of DRC against its own people – the M23 and the members of their community – many of who have fled as refugees to Rwanda and throughout the region.”
“The Government of the DRC is also bent on attacking Rwanda and overthrowing its government, as has been repeatedly and publicly stated by President Tshisekedi,” reads the statement, which was reposted by Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
He also reiterated that “recent information coming from Goma on what has been discovered, and the documentary evidence of attack preparations, planned together with the foreign forces fighting in eastern DRC, including the FDLR, indicate that combat objectives were not limited to defeating M23, but also attacking Rwanda.”
Rwanda said that it is clear that SAMIDRC, together with coalition partners that include the Burundian armed forces, the FDLR, and European mercenaries, are central to the conflict and should not be there because they are exacerbating the existing problems.
This issue was also recently raised by President Paul Kagame, who said that South Africa, which is now playing the peacemaker role, is part of the problem.
“The argument that SAMIDRC was invited by the Government of the DRC is rendered void by the fact that they are there to fight the citizens of that country, and effectively bring war to Rwanda.”
“Rwanda has consistently advocated for a political solution to the ongoing conflict and welcomes the proposed joint summit of the East African Community and SADC,” Rwanda said in a statement.
