Rwanda Rejects Blame for Goma Bombings, Points Finger at Congolese Militias
The Rwandan government vehemently denies accusations that it was involved in last Friday’s deadly bombings in Goma, North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The bombings targeted a displaced persons’ camp, reportedly killing around 10 civilians. Both the Congolese government and the US have pointed fingers at Rwanda, but Rwandan spokesperson Yolande Makolo dismissed these claims as “ridiculous” and “absurd.”
“The Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) is a professional army,” Makolo asserted. “We would never attack an internally displaced persons’ camp. It is the criminals of the FDLR and the Wazalendo militia groups, supported by the Congolese army (FARDC), who would be responsible for such atrocities.”
The FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) is a Hutu rebel group formed by perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide. The Wazalendo is another armed group active in eastern DRC.
The bombings have further strained relations between the DRC and Rwanda, which have a long history of conflict. Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has reportedly cut short his European tour and returned to Kinshasa in response to the attacks.
No official death toll has been confirmed yet. Humanitarian sources claim the attacks resulted in around 10 deaths.
Source: DRC News Today
