DRC President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi speaks at the tribute ceremony for Reverend Jesse Jackson, 7 March 2026. -

Last updated: 3 hours ago

Democratic Republic Of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo said it has filed a case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice over its role in the long-running conflict in the eastern Congo.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing the M23 rebel movement, which controls large swathes of territory in the east after a ⁠lightning advance last year.

Rwanda, for its part, says the DRC is fighting alongside the FDLR, a Congo-based group that includes remnants of those responsible for Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

The ‌decades-long ⁠conflict is rooted in the genocide, after remnants of the forces associated with the genocide fled across the border into Congo.

Leaders of the two countries signed a US-brokered deal in Washington last year to de-escalate fighting in the Congo’s restive eastern provinces.

But in ‌a statement on Friday, Kinshasa accused Kigali of breaching international conventions, including those on genocide, racial discrimination, and torture.

It said the alleged crimes, committed against civilians over three decades, included massacres, extrajudicial killings, torture, sexual violence, and forced displacement.

The DRC is calling on the United Nations court to order Rwanda to cease the alleged violations and award reparations to the state and victims.

There was no immediate response from the Rwandan government.

Kigali has consistently denied allegations that it backs any rebel groups operating in Congo.

But UN experts and Western governments have sided with the DRC in finding Rwanda responsible for providing support to M23 militants.

Relations between the two countries is severely strained over the conflict and the filing opens a new legal front in one of Africa’s longest-running disputes.

DR Congo Takes Rwanda to International Court Over Eastern Crisis

Suggested for you

More Stories

$4.5bn Fraud: Court to Decide on Using Emefiele's Statement for EFCC Trial

South Africa President Ramaphosa warns anti-immigrant groups over June 30 deadline

Xenophobia: ‘South Africa is nothing without Africa’ — MTN Boss speaks frankly as he blasts attacks on foreigners

Court Jails Two Former Moroccan Politicians in Drug Trafficking Case

NDC angry as court cancels order registering them as a political party

Court decision on NDC is just an obstacle, not a stop sign – Obi says

Discussion