Tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have escalated further, with Rwandan President Paul Kagame openly criticizing his Congolese counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, by suggesting he should not be leading the country. This latest remark was made during an interview with social media influencer Mario Nawfal.
The conflict between Rwanda and the DRC has led to significant violence, with thousands of lives lost in eastern Congo. The Rwandan-backed M23 armed group now controls a vast portion of the mineral-rich region after launching a rapid offensive in December 2024, which resulted in the defeat of the Congolese army. M23 is considered the most dominant among over 100 armed groups operating in eastern DRC.
In January 2025, M23 seized Goma, the largest city and regional capital of Eastern Congo. Following this victory, the group announced plans to advance toward Kinshasa, the capital, more than 2,000 kilometers away. Since then, they have continued to make swift territorial gains.
This conflict represents one of the most serious escalations in a longstanding struggle fueled by the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition over Congo’s vast mineral resources.
The United Nations recently reported that more than 4,000 Rwandan troops are actively engaged in combat alongside M23 in the DRC. However, Kagame insisted that Rwanda is acting defensively. When asked about the presence of Rwandan forces in Congo, he neither confirmed nor denied the reports but instead questioned why the issue was being raised.
Meanwhile, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has issued a warning that any armed group or military force operating on Congolese territory will be held accountable under international law.