Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Édouard Ngirente has announced on behalf of the country’s President, Paul Kagame that all military stationed at border areas must return to the capital with immediate effect.
The move which has been described as a security precaution comes amid growing tensions in the East African region in which 13 South African peacekeeping soldiers were killed by “Rwandan-backed” M23 rebels.
The South African government has on the other hand warned that a further attack on its peacekeepers would be a direct declaration of war.
South Africa’s defence minister Angie Motshekga said that Cyril Ramaphosa warned Rwanda that “if you’re going to fire, we’ll take it as a declaration of war and we have to defend our people”.
Dozens of armies including M23, which is backed by more than four thousand Rwandan troops according to UN experts, are fighting for control and access to essential metals used in essential devices.
Rwanda has been accused of exploiting DRC for its mineral resources. It has been reported that Uganda is also on the side of the M23 rebels.
The thirteen soldiers from South Africa which were killed are said to have been killed by a “friend fire” from the Rwandan and Ugandan forces.
