By John Ikani
Rwandan military has in a dramatic turn of events, shot down a fighter jet belonging to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) on Tuesday, claiming that it had “violated Rwanda’s airspace.”
Eyewitnesses in the Congolese town of Goma reported seeing the plane flying low over the DR Congo-Rwanda border from the town of Kitshanga in Congo’s Masisi territory before it was hit.
The aircraft managed to land at Goma airport with a fire burning on its right wing, but a fire-fighting truck intervened on the runway to prevent the plane from being completely engulfed.
The Rwandan government issued a statement, claiming that the fighter jet from DR Congo had violated the country’s airspace for the third time and that “defensive measures were taken.”
However, the Congolese government has stated that the aircraft was attacked while flying in its own airspace and that it “regards the attack as an act of aggression aimed only at sabotaging ongoing peace efforts.”
This incident comes amid a background of escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries, with DR Congo accusing Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, a charge which Rwanda denies.
Fresh fighting erupted between government forces and the M23 rebels on Tuesday morning, in eastern Congo in several areas in the territories of Masisi and Rutshuru near the town of Kitshanga.
As the situation unfolds, the international community is watching closely to see how this latest development will impact the already fragile peace in the region.
