Congo military accuses Rwanda of invasion; rebels seize town

The government of Rwanda has strongly denied accusations over the years that is supports the rebel group.Bunagana is 60 kilometers 37 miles northeast of Goma, a city of nearly 2 million that also serves as a hub for international aid organisations and the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MONUSCO.

Congo's military accused Rwanda of “no less than an invasion” after M23 rebels captured a key town on Monday. The military vowed that Congolese forces would defend their homeland, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the two Central African neighbours.

The statement from Gen. Sylvain Ekenge, spokesman for the military governor of North Kivu province, came hours after the town of Bunagana fell into the hands of the M23. The government of Rwanda has strongly denied accusations over the years that is supports the rebel group.

Bunagana is 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of Goma, a city of nearly 2 million that also serves as a hub for international aid organisations and the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MONUSCO. Bunagana is an important transit point for goods being imported into Congo from as far away as China. A day earlier, a government official had accused the rebels of wanting to seize Bunagana in order to financially paralyse Goma.