The Joint ICGLR Verification Mechanism (JMV) announced on Wednesday (February 14th) an investigation into the clashes that occurred the day before between the Congolese and Rwandan armies in Isoke, towards Sabinyo Hill, in the Virunga National Park, Rutshuru territory. The Congolese army that seized the VMY demands the unconditional withdrawal of the Rwandan army from Congolese soil.


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According to several sources, the security services of the FARDC have received the warning of a probable incursion of M23 ex-combatants on Congolese soil, from Uganda for more than a week. It is in this context that the FARDC reinforced their patrols at the borders between the DRC and Uganda on the one hand, and between the DRC and Rwanda on the other.

On Tuesday during the day, according to the same sources, a FARDC patrol that went to the Isoke region, fell on a camp maintained by armed men and in military uniform that they later identified as of soldiers of the Rwandan army. In the clashes that followed, two elements lost their lives on the FARDC side and "many others" on the other side, according to sources contacted by Radio Okapi.

On Wednesday, the FARDC seized the ICGLR Joint Verification Mechanism, demanding the unconditional withdrawal of the Rwandan army from Congolese territory while reliable sources within the FARDC confirmed the arrival of Rwandan army reinforcements in the incident area.

Rwanda says, for its part, to have been surprised on its territory by the Congolese army.

The ICGLR Joint Verification Mechanism, which is planning to visit the region in the next few hours, will need to establish which of two armies violated the border boundaries.