DRC Claims Rwanda Breached U.S. Peace Agreement

(MENAFN) Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has publicly condemned Rwanda for allegedly breaking the terms of a freshly signed ceasefire, claiming violations occurred within 24 hours of the landmark accord sealed in the United States capital.

Addressing parliament on Monday, Tshisekedi declared that Rwanda had already abandoned its promises made in Washington. "Rwanda is already violating its commitments," he stated during his legislative speech.

The accusations follow a historic December 4 signing ceremony where Tshisekedi and Rwanda's President Paul Kagame finalized a comprehensive peace and economic framework. The agreement built upon preliminary accords negotiated by both nations' foreign ministers last June, with President Donald Trump personally hosting the diplomatic proceedings in Washington.

According to Tshisekedi's parliamentary testimony, Rwandan military forces allegedly launched heavy artillery strikes from Bugarama—a Rwandan border town—into Congolese territory the day following the pact's execution. The bombardment reportedly inflicted substantial casualties and property destruction across Kaziba, Katogota, and Lubarika communities within South Kivu province.

The Congolese leader characterized these actions as direct breaches of ceasefire provisions.

Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, responding to Anadolu inquiries Monday, dismissed the allegations as he had previously done with similar charges. He labeled accusations against Rwandan defense forces "ridiculous" and suggested they represented deflection tactics by Congolese military officials.

At the Washington signing event, Kagame acknowledged that despite countless mediation attempts, previous efforts had failed to address fundamental disputes. He expressed confidence that the US-facilitated agreement possessed "everything needed to end this conflict once and for all."

Monday's congressional address saw Tshisekedi outline specific agreement provisions requiring the "immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops from eastern Congo, dismantling of foreign armed groups, including the (Rwandan) FDLR rebels, the cessation of hostilities and the establishment of a joint security mechanism to oversee implementation."

Despite the setback, Tshisekedi conveyed continued faith in diplomatic solutions, pledging Kinshasa's adherence to treaty obligations while expressing cautious optimism about peaceful resolution prospects.

Eastern Congo has endured relentless violence spanning multiple decades, producing thousands of deaths and displacing millions of civilians, according to both Kinshasa authorities and UN documentation.

Combat operations between AFC-M23 insurgents and government troops resumed Monday throughout Masisi territory in North Kivu province, confirmed by local witnesses and rebel representatives.

The current phase of instability reignited in 2021 when the M23 militia reemerged from dormancy and initiated sustained military campaigns targeting Congolese federal forces.

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