France urges Rwanda to withdraw from Congolese territory

By Silan Turp

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Rwanda to withdraw military forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo and stop supporting the March 23 Movement (M23).

He said France “strongly condemns” the actions of all armed groups, especially the M23, and emphasized the urgency to reduce tensions in the region.

Macron also expressed the sentiment in a telephone call with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of perpetuating the conflict that has displaced more than 1 million people “in order to seize mineral resources.”

M23, an ethnic Tutsi-led rebel group that was formed in 2012, is one of multiple rebel groups fighting in eastern Congo.

The group claims to defend Tutsi interests against ethnic Hutu militias whose leaders are linked to the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda.

Tensions between France and some African countries have escalated in recent years.

Last year, Burkina Faso's military leaders ordered France to withdraw hundreds of troops from the West African country months after Mali had done the same.

In August 2023, Niger announced it was overturning several military cooperation agreements with France and other Western nations.

In a statement this month, France announced the closure of its embassy in Niger, citing obstacles in its operations.

Burkina Faso expelled three French diplomats earlier this month for “subversive activities,” in the latest sign of frosty relations.

*Writing by Muhammed Yasin Gungor in Istanbul