Rwandan Says Civilians Injured By Congolese Troops
The Rwandan army says several civilians have been injured in cross-border shelling by troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It said it had asked a regional team of military observers, the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism, to conduct an urgent investigation.
In a statement, Rwanda’s ministry of defence said it had asked the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) to investigate an attack on its territory. EJVM is a group of military experts from the region that monitors and investigates security incidents.
The attack targeted Musanze district in Rwanda’s north, “injuring several civilians and damaging property”, the ministry said.
“Those injured are receiving treatment and officials are assessing the extent of the damage. The RDF (Rwanda Defence Forces) has requested for urgent investigation by the regional EJVM, and Rwandan authorities are also engaging DRC counterparts over the incident,” it added in the statement.
Tensions between the two countries have increased since March, when the M23 rebel group attacked two Congolese army positions.
Rwanda denies accusations that it supports the rebels.
The group seized territory in eastern DR Congo during an insurrection in 2012 and 2013, before its fighters were driven out by Congolese and United Nations forces.
Many families have left their homes in DR Congo’s North-Kivu province, heading for the Ugandan border town of Bunagana.
The head of the UN Refugee agency in Uganda, Joel Boutroue, told the BBC several thousand refugees arrived in Uganda on Monday.