South Africa and Rwanda move their heads over the Dr. Congo war

South African and Rwanda already full of diplomatic relations worsened after President Cyril Ramaphos accused the rebel group M23 of the rebel M23 of killing the South African peacekeeping forces in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

While the rebels gained the advantage on the battlefield, grabbing most of Goma – the largest city in the east – South Africa fired a diplomatic salvo, warning that further attacks on his troops would be considered “the declaration of war”.

Rwanda President Paul Kagama replied, accusing South Africa of being part of the “belligerent forces” involved in the “offensive combat operation” to help the Congol government “fight against his own people.”

A total of 13 South African soldiers were killed in the fight since last week, while the rebels brought lightning towards the crowd – a large trading center at the border with Rwanda.

Last year, seven more South Africans were killed in East DRG – making it one of the most deadly tragedies related to the fighting lately.

South Africa and Rwanda had a difficult relationship for a long time.

2014 South Africa expelled Three Rwande diplomats after an attack on the home of a displayed dissident in Rwandan in Johannesburg.

The Kagame government replied with the expense of six South African envoys.

The tensions seemingly mitigated after Ramaphos visited Rwanda last year for commemorations that marked the 30th anniversary of the genocide, which killed about 800,000 people.

But they flared up again, after the death of South Africa, which were deployed to the Eastern DR Congo in December 2023 as part of the regional peaceful forces sent by the South African Development Community (Sadac)

South African soldiers make up most of the force – known for its acronym Samidrc – who had a mission of rejection of armed groups like M23 and bringing peace in the region rich in minerals after a decade of unrest.

The last diplomatic outburst began with a post -divided by Ramaphosa’s X page.

In it, the president confirmed that he had talked to Kagama on escalation conflict and that both leaders agreed “about the emergency need to interrupt the fire and continue the peacekeeping negotiations of all parties in the conflict.”

In a later statement, Ramaphos insisted that the presence of South African troops in Dr. Congo is not “the proclamation of war against any country or state” – an obvious reference at Rwanda.

The South African Defense Minister Angie Motshekga, however, had something different, saying to reporters: “There were no hostilities between us, only when they fired above our heads, the president warned them [that] If you are going to shoot, we will take it as a proclamation of war. “

But Ramaphosa went on to x, saying that the peacekeeping forces were killed in the attacks of M23 and – he pointed out – “the Militia of the Rwande Defense Forces (RDF)”.

This was angry with Kagama, who said that the statements of South African officials – including Ramaphos – contained lies and distortion.

“Rwande defense forces is an army, not militia,” ” Kagama replied to x.

“President Ramaphos never gave a” warning “of any kind, unless it was delivered in his local language I did not understand. He asked for support to ensure that the South African power had appropriate electricity, food and water, which we will do, what we will do Help communicate.

“Ramaphos President confirmed to me that M23 did not kill soldiers from South Africa, [the Conglese army] Fardc did, “Kagama said.

He added that regional peacekeeping forces – which included troops from Tanzania and Malavia – were a “belligerent force” that worked together with “genocidal armed groups” targeting Rwanda, and “had no place in this situation.”

Kagama closed her long -term statement, saying that South Africa was in a “no position to take on the role of peacemaker or mediator”, and if the country wanted a conflict, Rwanda would “face that context” in that context. “

Kagame’s comments made it clear that he wanted South Africa to withdraw from Dr. Kongg, where his military involvement dates from the late 1990s.

She first joined the UN Peace Mission, Monusco, after the end of the racist Apartheid system in 1994.

At that time, the army of South Africa had just become “a very effective Aparthey war time” on a “peace force” left to be caught with reduced financing and “lack of political direction”, Thomas Mandrup, an Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University in the country, he told the BBC.

Although South Africa said his involvement in Dr. Congo was guided by the need to “contribute” to the stability of a colleague of Sadac, defense analyst Dean Wingrin said the economic interests of the country also influenced his decision.

“DRC is a very large trade partner with [us] Because the East Drc is so rich in minerals. We import a lot of minerals … from DRC, so South Africa has an interest in Miran DRC, “he told the BBC.

Although Monusc’s mission was mainly related to calmness, the escalation of tension in the region led to the establishment of an intervention brigade forces in 2013 to “actively engage” with numerous armed groups in Eastern DR Congo.

This intervention had an initial success in rejecting the M23, the most prominent rebel group.

This is partly the result of arranging the attack on South Africa – Rooilk – which had a “devastating effect” on the M23 in a short time space, said Mr. Wingrin.

The rebel group then melted effectively and was then expelled from the eastern Dr. Kong – until the recent return, which he saw that he had captured most of the region.

However, the army of South Africa was not in position, this time, to prevent the progress of the rebel group because it lost its air force.

“Unfortunately, South Africa’s budget still declined over the years. Air Forces couldn’t afford to take place,” said Mr. Wingrin.

“We miss that vital aircraft that would come so handsome a few days ago, but now it’s too late,” he said.

Mr. Mandrup expressed a similar position, saying that South Africa distributed its troops in 2023, neglecting warnings that “you did not get the necessary opportunities, the defensive force is in shame and face an opponent who is much better equipped than in 2013.”

He added that South Africa Africa is difficult to return its troops at the moment because “the forces are locked and caught in two bases.”

“I can’t get out, get a plane [or] reinforcements. I can’t even wounded, “he said.

Ramaphos seemed to agree, saying in a recent statement that the situation in the region was “tense, unstable and unpredictable.”

His spokesman, meanwhile, said on the local News24 website that every decision to leave the DR Congo was ultimately lying with SAVC because it arranged a 16-member regional block.

The South African daily place of Maverick News has quoted unnamed sources saying that Sadac leaders are expected to decide on a summit on Friday to pull troops after bloody battles that made the M23 rebels take away Gom.

“We have to state all sides to agree to the truce. And then you need some kind of path for peace negotiations. And once you have those conversations that seriously continue with a deceased fire, then you can start with a gradual withdrawal,” the South African source quoted.

For Mr. Wingrin, there was a need for the South African government to “serious introspection” because of his military involvement in Dr. Congo.

“Is that something they want to encourage at all costs and what South African Africa is worth for sons and daughters die so far?” he asked.

So, it seems that South Africa’s president has a difficult choice – keep your soldiers in Dr. Congo and risk further death or shame to pull them out, probably after negotiating a safe passage for them with Rwanda.