Congolese aggressions: FARDC-FDLR abduct six Rwandan nationals, demand ransom

Kinshasa has resorted to unorthodox methods of provoking Rwanda after Tshisekedi recently boasted that he was set to launch a war on Rwanda.

This time around, the country army-FARDC and its ally, blacklisted genocidal and terrorist groups- FDLR abducted six Rwandan nationals including six women and two kids (one of 7 years and another of six months).

The captive are languishing in FARDC-FDLR dungeons in Goma for the last 6 days – the vulnerable residents, all from Rubavu District, were abducted at gunpoint when they were collecting firewood at borderline with DRC. The captors are demanding exorbitant ransom in exchange for the captive as per revelations by the latter’s families and relatives.

The abduction of innocent Rwandan citizens adds to a pile of other provocative acts by DRC authorities, however Rwanda has refused to be drawn into a war and maintained its stance.

That is while the leadership of Rwanda has maintained a quiet, diplomatic stance amidst ceaseless provocations, insults, and slanders by the DRC, a country that looks to drag Rwanda into its internal matters – especially the ongoing civil war pitting its army (FARDC) against the M23 rebels.

For instance, on Wednesday, June 15th, 2022 a mob of Congolese rioters raided the Rwandan border in Rubavu District and pelted stones across, targeting Rwandan security officers on duty which could have resulted in fatalities if the abused officers reacted in self-defence.

The Congolese government-backed rioters, who were from the border town of Goma, also broke into and looted businesses belonging to Rwandans and Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, and again Rwanda has done nothing in terms of retaliation!

That is in addition to the previous provocations in which FARDC and its ally FDLR abducted two Rwandan soldiers who were patrolling along the border line, and shelled multiple times rockets into Rwanda. Their actions resulted in injuries and destruction of property.

Moreover, an armed Congolese soldier also crossed the border and started shooting indiscriminately at bystanders only to be put out of action by security personnel who shot in self-defence.

Tshisekedi regime is looking for a solution from a very wrong avenue; they should indeed endeavour to address their failures and internal socio-political issues instead of provoking Rwanda. Rwanda has no interest in Congolese’s self-inflicted mess, but that should never be taken for weakness.