DAKAR, May 31 (NNN-IRIN) – The chairperson of the African Union (AU), called for “calm and dialogue” between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), expressing serious concern over the rising tension between the two neighbours.
“I call for calm and dialogue between the two countries, and for the peaceful resolution of the crisis, with the support of regional mechanisms and the African Union,” Senegalese President and current AU chief, Macky Sall, said, on social media.
“I am seriously concerned by the rising tension between Rwanda and the DRC,” Sall said on Twitter.
DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) in North Kivu, a province in eastern DRC, an accusation denied by Kigali. Over the past few days, fighting raged between the DRC army and M23 rebels in North Kivu, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes.
On Saturday, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) called for the release of two Rwandan soldiers being held by FDLR rebels in the DRC.
In a statement, the RDF said, the two soldiers were kidnapped while on patrol and accused DRC armed forces, together with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), of launching an attack along the border.– NNN-IRIN
