DRC Soldier Shot Dead After Opening Fire On RDF soldiers
A new act of provocation this evening has cost a soldier of Democratic Republic of Congo’s army FARDC his life.
According to a communique from Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), today at around 17h35 a soldier of the DR Congo army (FARDC) crossed over from DRC and shot at RDF soldiers manning the common border between Grande Barrière and Petite Barrière in Rubavu District, in Rwanda’s Western Province.
The RDF soldiers returned fire, killing the FARDC soldier on the Rwandan side of the border. Several other FARDC soldiers fired at the RDF position resulting in a brief exchange of fire.
“The situation is now calm,” writes RDF.
“This is among many similar incidents where DR Congo soldiers have violated Rwandan territory. The RDF has formally communicated the incident to the EJVM (Extended Joint Verification Mechanism),” the communique further reads.
On several occasions, DRC conducted activities that Rwanda said they amount to provocation, and those include shelling on Rwanda’s territory, violating Rwanda’s airspace with military jets, among others.
Moreover, similar cases where soldiers dared to cross into Rwanda while shoting on Rwanda’s forces were in the past registered.
