The incursion by the DR Congo’s (DRC) Sukhoi-25 fighter jet is one of many provocations towards Rwanda in the recent past, Yolande Makolo, government spokesperson said on Monday, November 7. Makolo was commenting on an incident that happened at around 11:20 am, which saw the DRC’s jet violate Rwanda’s airspace and briefly touch down at Rubavu Airport in Western Province. She said the provocation follows cross-border shelling of Rwandan territory with rockets earlier this year. “These unacceptable incidents are happening when diplomatic efforts are underway in Luanda, Nairobi and in Bujumbura,” she added. This comes after increased tension between the DR Congo army (FARDC) and M23 rebels near the Rwandan border, as well as the recent cross-border shelling on Rwandan territory. On May 23, rockets from the Kinshasa government injured several people in at least two sectors in Musanze District, in Rwanda. The Congolese army and the terrorist FDLR militia, according to Kigali, also kidnapped two Rwandan soldiers who were patrolling along the common border. Despite Kigali’s reiterated stand of having no intention of being drawn into an intra-Congolese matter, Kinshasa claims that the M23 rebels are supported by Kigali.
