Rwanda forces kill ‘soldier’ on DR Congo border

GOMA: A man wearing a Congolese military uniform was killed by Rwandan troops early Saturday after he crossed the volatile border and started firing at local forces, the Rwandan military said.

The incident occurred at about 1 am (2300 GMT Friday), the Rwanda Defence Force said, amid heightened tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa over the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The RDF said on Twitter that “an unidentified soldier believed to be from the FARDC (DR Congo armed forces)” crossed the border “and started shooting at Rwanda Defence Force guard towers”.

“He was shot dead by RDF patrol before causing any casualties,” it added.

The shooting took place on the Rwandan side of the so-called “Petite Barriere” border post, one of two linking the main eastern DRC city of Goma and Gisenyi in Rwanda.

Relations between the two neighbours are strained over Kinshasa’s charges that Kigali backs the M23 rebel group, which has been capturing swathes of territory in the eastern DRC in fighting that has sent thousands of people fleeing.

The border area was calm on Saturday after the shooting incident and people were continuing to go about their daily lives.