Thousands have protested in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) city of Goma, denouncing Rwanda’s alleged support of M23 rebels, as DRC recalled its interim acting ambassador from Rwanda in a further souring of relations.
A mostly Congolese Tutsi group, the M23 resumed fighting in late 2021 after lying dormant for years, accusing the Congolese government of failing to honor an agreement to integrate its fighters into the army, and in recent days, they seized the towns of Kiwanja and Rutshuru, along a strategic highway leading to the provincial capital Goma, which lies on the Rwandan border.
The group’s resurgence has destabilized regional relations in central Africa, with the DRC accusing its smaller neighbour Rwanda of backing the rebel group, ordering the Rwandan ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours. Rwanda stated that it had noted the decision “with regret."
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