DR Congo Takes Rwanda to International Court Over Alleged Support for Rebels

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has taken Rwanda to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing its neighbour of violating several international treaties.

In a statement, DR Congo alleged that Rwanda has sent troops and supported armed groups carrying out illegal military operations on Congolese territory following the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

DR Congo’s Justice Minister, Guillaume Andali, said the case seeks accountability for alleged violations involving genocide prevention, racial discrimination, women’s rights, and torture.

Rwanda has not yet responded to the case but has repeatedly denied accusations that it supports rebel groups operating in eastern DR Congo.

Several international bodies, including UN experts and Western governments, have accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, an allegation Kigali has rejected.

DR Congo is asking the ICJ, based in the Netherlands, to order Rwanda to stop the alleged actions and pay compensation to the Congolese government and affected victims.

The court will now review the claims before deciding on the next steps.

This is not the first time DR Congo has taken Rwanda to the ICJ. Previous cases were either withdrawn or dismissed due to jurisdiction issues.

The long-running conflict in eastern DR Congo has links to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where about 800,000 people, mainly members of the Tutsi community, were killed.

After the genocide, many Hutus fled into what is now DR Congo, creating further tensions in the region.

Rwanda later carried out military operations inside DR Congo, saying it was targeting groups linked to the genocide.

One of those groups, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), remains active in eastern DR Congo.

Rwanda says the group poses a security threat, while DR Congo has denied working with the FDLR.

The conflict escalated again in January when the M23 captured several areas in eastern DR Congo, including the mineral-rich city of Goma.

The violence has continued despite a peace agreement signed between Rwanda and DR Congo with support from the United States.