U.S. President Donald Trump stands with Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, left, and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi, right, in Washington last Thursday.Evan Vucci/The Associated Press
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi on Monday accused Rwanda of violating its commitments to a U.S.-brokered peace deal aimed at ending years of conflict in the country’s mineral-rich east, just days after attending a signing ceremony in Washington.
Tshisekedi made the accusations in a speech to lawmakers. There was no immediate response from Rwanda. The U.S. State Department urged Rwanda to prevent escalation.
Deadly clashes have marred efforts to begin implementing the terms of U.S. and Qatar-brokered agreements brokered in recent months between Congo, Rwanda, and the rebel group M23.
Over the weekend, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advanced in an area close to the border with Burundi, seizing the village of Luvungi, according to two residents who spoke to Reuters and shared a video of the rebels holding a meeting there. Rwanda denies backing the rebels.
Some Congolese soldiers fled the town and clashed with Wazalendo defence forces on Sunday in the nearby town of Sange, officials said.
Trump touts Congo-Rwanda peace deal, but deadly clashes continue
Sange was bombed or struck with grenades, and as many as 36 people were killed, an official and other sources said on Monday. It was not immediately clear which party to the conflict had fired or which type of weapon had caused the explosion.
A civil society source shared photos of bodies of those killed, who appeared to be civilians wearing colourful, non-military clothing, covered in blood and lying at odd angles. Two bodies were small and appeared to be young children.
The Congolese army did not immediately respond to a request for comment. M23 also did not respond to a request for comment.
Last week, Rwanda and Congo reaffirmed their commitment to a U.S.-brokered deal signed in June and signed new agreements in Washington.
“The United States is deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in eastern DRC, driving displacement and inflicting suffering on countless families,” said a U.S. State Department spokesperson. “Rwanda, which continues to provide support to M23, must prevent further escalation.”
A senior Trump administration official said they were monitoring the situation “including areas where actions on the ground do not yet align with the commitments made.”
The official said the administration is working with both Congo and Rwanda, and that “the president has made clear to both sides that implementation is what he will judge, and as he stated, he is expecting immediate results.”