Police in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), used tear gas on Tuesday to disperse protesters following attacks on embassies allegedly linked to the conflict in the country’s east.
The protesters directed their anger at embassies of nations they accuse of supporting Rwanda’s backing of M23 rebels, who have taken control of Goma, the eastern provincial capital.
According to a European diplomat cited by Reuters, the embassies targeted included those of France, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, as well as the Dutch and Belgian ones. Protesters set fire to the Belgian embassy’s gate, while Dutch and Congolese authorities worked to stabilize the protests that emerged before the embassy building.
One protester expressed his frustration to Reuters, saying “All of this is because of Rwanda. What Rwanda is doing is in complicity with France, Belgium, the United States, and others. The people of Congo are tired. How many times should we die?”
M23 rebels seize Goma
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel militia announced on Monday that its forces captured the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking one of the most intense escalations both countries have faced in years.
On Sunday, M23 militants seized key towns near Goma, including Minova and Sake, disrupting the supply of food and goods, with reports suggesting Rwanda may target Bukavu next.
Fierce battles between M23 advance groups and the Congolese army were reported all day on Saturday, leading to the death of 9 South African troops and a Uruguayan member of the UN peacekeeping mission, in addition to the injury of four others.
The battle seemed to be pushing even closer to Goma’s outskirts, with one source claiming that combat had reached Nzulo, almost within the city boundaries, bypassing the massive refugee camps that house more than a million people displaced by the conflict.
An M23 commander then announced the seizure of Goma, while the United States and France acknowledged its occupation, although officials have yet to publicly announce it.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot shared on X that the French embassy in Kinshasa was attacked and briefly caught fire, but the blaze was quickly brought under control.