Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe
Kigali — The Rwandan government has rejected allegations by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) aided M23 rebels in killing hundreds of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last month.
In a statement issued Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation described the UN claims as “false accusations” lacking evidence or corroboration.
“Rwanda rejects the false accusations made in the recent statement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),” the ministry said.
The OHCHR report, released on August 6, alleged that between July 9 and July 21, M23 rebels—supported by RDF elements—killed 319 civilians in four villages in North Kivu’s Rutshuru territory.
Rwanda denies any involvement in the attacks, insisting that the OHCHR has presented no proof linking its forces to the violence.
“OHCHR alleges, without any evidence, corroboration or reported motives, that the Rwanda Defence Force ‘aided’ in the killing of ‘319 civilians’ in farms in eastern DRC,” the statement read. “The gratuitous inclusion of the RDF in these allegations is unacceptable and brings into question the credibility of OHCHR and its methodology.”
The ministry also criticised the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Congo, MONUSCO, accusing it of failing to protect civilians despite its long-standing presence in the region.
“In a context where the United Nations (MONUSCO) has long failed to protect civilians affected by insecurity, OHCHR’s sensational allegations risk undermining the ongoing processes for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the DRC,” it said.
Regional tensions and peace process under strain
The allegations come amid heightened tensions between Rwanda and the DRC, whose government has repeatedly accused Kigali of arming, commanding, and fighting alongside the M23 rebel movement.
Rwanda has consistently denied any military involvement, saying its security concerns centre on the presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed militia group composed partly of individuals involved in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
The killings occurred just weeks after Rwanda and the DRC agreed to a set of principles aimed at easing hostilities, including Kinshasa to act against the FDLR.
