Rwanda never shot back at DR Congo – RDF

KIGALI - Rwanda’s Military Spokesman Maj. Jill Rutaremara, has strongly refuted, allegations made by the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo (MONUC), that the Rwanda Defense Forces, (RDF), fired heavy artillery shells at DR Congo territory last week. MONUC claimed that Rwanda fired tank shells and other heavy artillery across the border into the DR Congo just before government forces (FARDC) were routed out of the provincial capital Goma by rebels of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). “Rwanda has not made any attempt to shoot at the DR Congo; it is the Congolese army that shot at the Rwandan territory,” explained Maj.Rutaremara. The allegation of Rwanda shooting at the DR Congo territory comes days after FARDC artillery fire landed on Rwandan territory. At least seven shells landed in Kabuhanga near Petite Barriere and Kamahoro, where Rwandan residents immediately evacuated to safer areas. According to Rutaremara, after the DR Congo army pointed their guns towards Rwanda, the government immediately informed the former about the shootings and FARDC immediately brought it to an end and that Rwanda never reacted by shooting back. The allegations of Rwanda shooting at the Congolese territory were made Monday by the MONUC spokesperson Sylvie van den Wildenberg . She alleged that Uruguayan peacekeepers saw Rwandan tanks and other heavy artillery fire into DR Congo. Ends