KIGALI (Reuters) – A fighter jet of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s military violated Rwandan airspace on Monday, Rwanda’s government said, calling the incident an act of provocation amid efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two neighbours.
Congo and Rwanda have been at odds since M23 rebels stepped up offensives in east Congo this year.
Authorities in Congo have long accused Rwanda of backing the Tutsi-led group, which launched its third offensive this year on Oct. 20 in North Kivu province. They expelled the Rwandan ambassador days later in retaliation for this alleged support.
Rwanda denies any involvement, saying the accusations are a tactic to cover up Congo’s security failures.
Officials from both countries held talks in Angola on Saturday to end the political stand-off.
On Monday morning, a Sukhoi-25 fighter jet from Congo briefly touched down at Rubavu Airport in Rwanda’s Western Province, the Rwandan government said in a statement.
No military action was taken and the warplane returned to Congo.
“Rwandan authorities have protested this provocation to the DRC Government, who acknowledged the incident,” the statement said.
Congo army spokesman Sylvain Ekenge did not comment when reached by Reuters.
Unrest in North Kivu has broken months of relative calm in east Congo, a mineral rich area plagued with militia activity.
Army forces have clashed with M23 rebels several times since fighting resumed, prompting more than 90,000 people to flee their homes.
Despite efforts to push them back, militants captured the town of Kiwanja, de-facto cutting off the upper half of the province.
Thousands staged anti-Rwanda protests in the eastern city of Goma on Oct. 31.
Congo and Rwanda already pledged to end hostilities and remove M23 fighters from Congo in July, weeks after the group staged its most serious offensive since a 2012-2013 insurrection that seized vast swathes of territory.
(Reporting by Clement Uwiringiyimana; Additional reporting by Djaffar Sabiti in Goma, Writing by Sofia Christensen, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
