The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army denied Sunday that 20 fighters linked to the Rwandan genocide had been captured on its territory, calling a video of their handover to Rwanda “faked”.
With Rwanda’s backing, the M23 has seized swathes of the DRC’s troubled, mineral-rich east in recent months, including the key provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.
The M23 released a video showing its forces handing over 20 alleged FDLR fighters to Rwanda at a border post between the two countries.
“This is a faked incident in poor taste orchestrated with the sole aim of discrediting our army,” the Congolese armed forces chiefs of staff said in a statement.
“This is part of the Rwandan strategy to justify the invasion of parts of the DRC’s territory,” it added.
“The Rwandan authorities, who specialize in the art of lies and manipulation, took old FDLR detainees, dressed them in new military fatigues, and passed them off as FDLR fighters newly captured in Goma.”
The DRC high command also accused the Rwandan army of “summary executions” of wounded and ill soldiers at a field hospital in Goma, which “constitutes a war crime and crime against humanity”, it said.
The escalating conflict in eastern DRC has raised fears it could spiral into a wider regional war, drawing in Rwanda, Uganda and other countries.
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© Agence France-Presse
