The bullets and bombs fired into Rwandan territory in Rubavu District on Monday, January 27, by the Congolese army were deliberate, Deputy Spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda has said.
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The intense fighting, which began over the weekend and continued into the afternoon of Monday, January 27, saw several bombs fired into Rubavu District by the Congolese army, with support from the genocidal FDLR elements operating in the border city of Goma, which was captured by M23 rebels on Sunday night.
As a result, nine people were killed and several injured, as businesses and schools in Rubavu were closed and students sent home.
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The capture of Goma, which is home to about two million people, is the main escalation since the war began.
In an interview with the national broadcaster, Mukuralinda said the war broke out near the Rwanda-DR Congo border and while it would be possible to fire on the Rwandan side by mistake, "what happened yesterday indicated that it was done deliberately.”
"The border is not an uninhabited area, there are settlements everywhere, which means that the fighting was taking place near the Rwandan-Congo border, and I would even say that it was taking place on the Rwandan border.”
"There might have been stray bullets as a result of mistakes, but what happened on Monday showed us that it was done deliberately, and I think there were videos taken by some people who saw bullets and bombs being shot and others [Rwandan military] countering them,” he said.
He explained that the Rwandan military’s response was aimed at neutralizing these threats and protecting the population.
Mukuralinda thanked the residents for heeding to the advice given by leaders, whether military or civilian, to stay indoors for protection, "it is commendable.”
"There were some injured and nine people died, if they had not heeded to these warnings, it is possible that the number could have increased.”
However, he noted that people should be more careful given the fact that there were some people who did not retreat to safety and were outside filming what was happening, neglecting the possible harm and consequences at hand.
"When you are told to evacuate from a hillside, leave the city and flee or stay indoors, it must be obeyed. When the time came at around 4 or 5 p.m., they told the people that they can go out, and we went around the city and found that they were indeed indoors the whole time, the shops that were closed started opening, that is to be commended.”
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On Tuesday, January 28, Rwanda continued receiving Congolese refugees and more than 100 Congolese soldiers and their allied FDLR and Wazalendo elements. They were disarmed and some of them were being treated from their injuries.
The M23 rebels, who have been fighting the Congolese army since late 2021, dealt huge blows to the government last week, with the killing of North Kivu Province’s Military Governor Peter Cirimwami and capture of new territory.
In recent weeks, the M23 captured the towns of Minova, in South Kivu, and Masisi, in North Kivu, ahead of taking the city of Goma last night.
The rebels demand direct peace talks with the Congolese government, which has ruled out any possibility of talks with the rebels, accusing them of being a terrorist movement.
Regional initiatives have failed to end the war politically, with the Congolese government pursuing a military solution.