DR Congo fighting: Rwanda-backed rebels advance towards Bukavu

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Jeremy Laurence said there had been reports of sexual violence by Congolese troops.

There are reports that at least 50 women had been raped, some by several men, in South Kivu, he said.

The M23 has also killed at least 12 people in summary executions since the crisis started, according to the UN.

The Rwandan spokesperson asserted that the country’s troops were securing their borders in response to “repeated violations”, including 15 deaths, from cross-border shelling.

“The DRC needs to do a better job of getting their territory in order. That is their responsibility,” she said.

Ms Makolo added that Rwanda was placing “heavily defensive mechanisms, and offensive mechanisms” along the border to safeguard its investment.

She also said that Rwanda was concerned about the presence in DR Congo of militias responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and which wanted to return to Rwanda to “finish the job”. She accused the Congolese authorities of working with these groups.

The Congolese foreign minister also accused Rwanda of occupying DR Congo in order to exploit its vast mineral resources, such as gold and coltan, which is used to make batteries for mobile phones and electric vehicles.

“I think that Rwanda ought to be under an embargo for all of its mineral exportations, they should not be benefiting from what has been mined illegally and under forced labour in the eastern DRC,” she said.

This was denied by Ms Makolo.

Ms Wagner called for a halt to foreign aid being sent to Rwanda and sanctions to be placed on the leaders “enabling this warfare”.

Foreign donors, like the UK and Germany, have already threatened to suspend aid.

She also called for Rwanda’s troops to be suspended from UN peacekeeping missions around the world.

“We have to witness a country that presents itself as a peace-bringer in other countries, be(ing) a warmonger in the Great Lakes region,” she said.

UN experts said last year that Rwanda had between 3,000 and 4,000 troops operating alongside the M23 in eastern DR Congo.

Human Rights Watch has warned of escalating risks to civilians as DR Congo’s army battle the M23 rebels. The humanitarian group has accused both sides of committing grave abuses against civilians.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the current conflict risks escalating into a broader regional war.

Uganda’s army has said it will strengthen its defences along the border with DR Congo in response to the increased fighting.

DR Congo is a vast country, about two-thirds the size of Western Europe, which borders nine different countries.

Previous conflicts in the country, in the 1990s, have drawn in several neighbours and were dubbed “Africa’s World Wars”.