Rwanda Accuses DR Congo, Burundi of Breaching US-Brokered Peace Deal
Rwanda has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi of violating a ceasefire under a Washington-brokered peace agreement, escalating tensions weeks after the deal was signed to curb violence in eastern Congo.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Kigali cannot be held responsible for ceasefire breaches, renewed attacks and fighting in South Kivu province. It alleged that the Congolese and Burundian armies, alongside allied militias and foreign mercenaries, have carried out coordinated assaults near Rwanda’s border.
According to the statement, civilian villages were “systematically bombed” using fighter jets and attack drones, prompting the AFC/M23 rebel coalition to respond in self-defence. Rwanda also accused Burundi of deploying close to 20,000 troops in South Kivu in support of Congolese forces and of laying siege to Banyamulenge villages in Minembwe, a move it described as an attempt to starve residents.
The accusations follow remarks by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, who told parliament on Monday that Rwanda was violating the US-brokered peace agreement. Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame signed a peace and economic cooperation deal on December 4, building on a ceasefire framework brokered by US President Donald Trump in June.
Despite the agreement, Kigali claimed Kinshasa had openly stated it would not respect the ceasefire and was instead seeking to retake territory held by the AFC/M23 rebels while peace talks were ongoing.
The United Nations humanitarian coordinator said on Monday that at least 74 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and 83 wounded in recent clashes in eastern Congo. Fighting has continued in South Kivu, where M23 rebels have advanced into several areas. On Wednesday, reports indicated that the group had seized parts of Uvira, a strategic commercial town near the Burundi border.
While Tshisekedi reaffirmed Kinshasa’s preference for a diplomatic solution and commitment to the agreement, Rwanda urged an immediate return to the “full implementation of the Washington Accords” and the completion of outstanding annexes of the Doha Agreement between Congo and AFC/M23.
Burundi, meanwhile, accused Rwanda earlier this week of launching attacks on its territory, further widening the regional dispute.
The latest violence stems from a conflict that reignited in 2021 after the M23 rebel group resurfaced and launched offensives against Congolese forces. The UN and the Congolese government have long accused Rwanda of backing the rebels, an allegation Kigali has consistently denied.
