South Africa and Rwanda Dr. Congo goes to the head-to-head on war

South Africa and Rwanda have already spoiled terrible diplomatic relations when President Cyril Ramposa accused the Rwanda-supported M33 rebellious group of killing South African peace soldiers in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

As the rebels captured most of Goma and obtained the upper hand in the battlefield – the largest city in the east – South Africa fired a diplomatic salvo, warning that further attacks on its soldiers “declare war” Will be considered.

Rwanda President Paul Kagame accused South Africa of being a part of the “combative force”, which included the “Congo government involved in the” aggressive war operations “to help in helping the” fight against its people “.

A total of 13 South African soldiers have been killed in the battle since last week as the rebels started an electricity towards Goma – a major trading center on the border with Rwanda.

Last year, Eastern Dr. One and seven South African were killed in the Congo – it is one of the country’s most deadly war -affected tragedies in recent times.

South Africa and Rwanda had a difficult relationship for a long time.

In 2014, South Africa Expelled Three Rwanda diplomats after the attack on the house of a deported rawandan disgruntled in Johannesburg.

The government of Kagame replied by expelting six South African messengers.

Tensions decreased to mark the 30th anniversary of the massacre last year after Ramfosa’s visit to Rwanda last year, killing around 800,000 people.

But they are again enraged, after the death of South African people, who in December 2023, Eastern Dr. They were deployed in the Congo, which were part of a regional peace-power force sent by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

South African military force makes the bulk of the force – known by Samadrak – in which there was a mission to rebuild armed groups such as M3 and bring peace to the mineral -dominated region after decades of unrest.

The latest diplomatic fall-out began with a post shared on the X page of Ramposa.

In this, the President confirmed that he had talked about the growing struggle with the Kagame and the two leaders agreed to “immediate need for ceasefire and to resume peace talks by all parties by all parties. Was.

Ramfosa also insisted that in a later statement, Dr. The presence of South African soldiers in the Congo was not “declaration of war against any country or state” – a clear reference to Rwanda.

However, South Africa’s Defense Minister Angie Motashega took a little different, told reporters: “We have no enmity, this is just that when they were firing above our head, the President warned him (that If you are going) to set fire, we are going to take it as a declaration of war. “

But Ramfosa went ahead on X, Saying that peace soldiers were killed by M23 and – he said – “Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) Military”.

This angry Kagame, who included the statements made by South African authorities – including Ramposa – lies and deformation.

“Rwanda Defense Force is an army, not a militia,” Kagame replied to x,

“President Ramfosa has never given any ‘warning’ of any kind, until it was given in his local language, which does not understand me. They did not understand enough electricity, food and water near South African force Ask for support for what we will communicate.

“President Ramfosa confirmed me that M23 did not kill South African soldiers, (Kanglis Army) Fardc,” Kagame said.

He said that the regional peace soldiers – who had included Tanzania and Malawi soldiers – were a “combative force”, working with “massacres armed groups”, who used to target Rwanda, and “in this situation There was no place “.

The Kagame stopped his long statement saying that South Africa “had no position to play the role of a peacekeeper or an intermediary” and if the country wanted a conflict, Rwanda would “be able to deal with the matter in that context on any day”.

Kagame’s comments clearly suggested that he wants South Africa Dr. Came back from the Congo, where its military partnership is in the late 1990s.

It first joined the United Nations Peace Mission, Monusco, after the end of the racist system of the racist system in 1994.

At that time, the South African army was considered as “highly effective apartheid war-time force”, which was left to struggle with low money and “lack of political direction”, Thomas Mandup, a “Mayur The force was left for “. Associate Professor at the Steelbosh University of the country told the BBC.

While South Africa has said that Dr. His participation in the Congo was directed by a fellow SADC member’s need to “contribute to stability”, Defense analyst Dean Wingerin said that the country’s economic interests also influenced its decision.

“Is a very large trading partner with DRC (US) because Eastern DRC is very rich in minerals. We import a lot of minerals … So DRC is therefore interested in a peaceful DRC in South Africa,” he has to BBC told.

While the mission of Monusco has been largely about peacekeeping, the force intervention brigade was established in 2013 due to increasing tension in the region, which was the Eastern Dr. The Congo became “actively attached” with many armed groups.

This intervention found initial success in repeating the most prominent rebel group M33.

It was partly due to the deployment of the South African attack aircraft – Ruiwalk – which had a “destructive effect” on M33, which was in a short time, according to Sri Vingrin.

The rebel group then effectively melted and later Eastern Dr. Has expelled from the Congo – until its recent return has captured it a lot in the region.

However, the South African army has not been in any position, this time, to thwart the advance of the rebel group, as it has lost its aerial power.

“Unfortunately South Africa’s budget has been declining for years. The Air Force cannot afford to maintain Ruvox,” Mr. Wingerin said.

“We are remembering the important aircraft that came to work a few days ago, but now it’s too late,” he said.

Mr. Mandrupa expressed a similar idea, saying that South Africa deployed its soldiers in 2023, ignoring that “you have not got the necessary capabilities, the defense force is in the hut and you face a rival There are much better than 2013 “.

He said that it was difficult for South Africa to bring back their soldiers at this point as “forces are closed and caught in two locations”.

He said, “They cannot get out, aircraft (or) can get reinforcement. They cannot even get injured,” he said.

Ramfosa recently said in a statement that the situation in the region was “stressful, unstable and unpredictable”.

Despite this, Dr. Any decision to pull South African soldiers from Congo is eventually with SADC as Samidrc was deployed by the 16-member regional block.

There are reports that SADC is ready to take this decision at the summit on Friday.

For Mr. Wingerin, the South African Government was given Dr. There was a need to “serve serious introspection” on its military partnership in the Congo.

“Is this something that they want to push at all costs and what is for South Africa that sons and daughters have to die so far?” He asked.

Therefore, the President of South Africa seems to have a difficult option – Dr. his soldiers. Keep in the Congo and take the risk of further death, or the embarrassment of taking them out, possibly after interacting with Rwanda on a safe route for them.