Overview:
On 25 May, the Congolese government once again accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting M23.
RwandAir has confirmed the cancellation of its flights to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Goma with immediate effect following the decision of the Government of DR Congo to suspend the Rwanda national carrier.
“Following the decision of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to suspend RwandAir flights, RwandAir has decided to cancel all flights to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Goma with immediate effect,” the airliner announced on Saturday, 28 May 2022
“We are sorry for the inconvenience and disruption this may cause to our customers and we will waive change of reservation fees and offer re-issues or refunds for those affected. We will provide updates when we have them and be in touch with our customers to provide assistance where we can,” he said.
On 25 May, the Congolese government once again accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting M23. “Suspicions are crystallising that the M23 has received support from Rwanda,” the DRC spokesman Patrick Muyaya said on Wednesday.
“Following the decision of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to suspend RwandAir flights, RwandAir has decided to cancel all flights to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Goma with immediate effect,”
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But Rwanda has denied involvement. Government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said the country has “no intention of being drawn into an internal matter of the DRC”.
Fighting with the rebel group erupted on several fronts this week in North Kivu, a conflict-torn eastern province of DRC, which borders Rwanda.
Primarily a Congolese Tutsi group, M23 is one of more than 120 armed groups that roam eastern DRC.
It briefly captured North Kivu’s provincial capital Goma in late 2012, before the army quelled the rebellion the following year.
But M23 resumed fighting this year, accusing the Congolese government of failing to respect a 2009 agreement under which its fighters were to be incorporated into the army.