South Africa and Rwanda go head-to-head over DR Congo war

Rwanda says South Africa is in “no position to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator” in DR Congo.

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As the rebels gained the upper hand in the battlefield by capturing most of Goma - the biggest city in the east - South Africa fired a diplomatic salvo, warning that further attacks on its troops would be considered a "declaration of war".

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame hit back, accusing South Africa of being part of a "belligerent force" involved in "offensive combat operations" to help the Congolese government "fight against its own people".

A total of 13 South African soldiers have been killed in the fighting since last week as the rebels made a lightning advance towards Goma - a major trading hub on the border with Rwanda.

Last year, another seven South Africans were killed in eastern DR Congo - making it one of the country's deadliest combat-related tragedies in recent times.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78w1ze7v25o

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