Congo soldier shot dead in Rwanda, rebels make gains in east

Two Rwandan police officers were injured before an officer on duty fired back at the soldier, who was killed 25 metres inside Rwanda. The border post is in the eastern city of Goma, around 55 km (34 miles) from the town of Bunagana that fell into M23 hands this week.

Rwandan police on Friday shot dead a Congolese soldier who crossed the border and fired at Rwandan border security, Rwanda's army said, in a clash near an area where the Congolese army is fighting M23 rebels. Tensions between the Central African neighbours have risen in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amid a fresh offensive by the M23 rebel group that Congo accuses Rwanda of backing. Rwanda denies it supports the group.

A Congolese soldier armed with an AK-47 rifle entered Rwanda on Friday morning and fired rounds at Rwandan security personnel and civilians, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) said. It said in a statement the shootout took place at the Petite Barriere border post. Two Rwandan police officers were injured before an officer on duty fired back at the soldier, who was killed 25 metres inside Rwanda.

The border post is in the eastern city of Goma, around 55 km (34 miles) from the town of Bunagana that fell into M23 hands this week. The M23 has been waging its most sustained offensive in Congo's eastern borderlands since capturing vast swathes of territory in 2012-2013.

The group made further gains on Friday, taking Tshengerero town, east of Bunagana, and forcing the army out of three positions, a military commander who did not wish to be named told Reuters. "The city is in rebel hands. They are everywhere, hundreds of armed men," said the head of a local civil society group, Jean-Baptiste Twizere.

Congo accuses Rwanda of actively supporting the M23. Rwanda denies this and in turn claims Congo is fighting alongside the FDLR, an armed group run by ethnic Hutus who fled Rwanda after taking part in the 1994 genocide. Kenya on Wednesday called for the deployment of a new regional military force to stop rebel violence in the region.