Residents of Rubavu: The RDF performed a fantastic job protecting the city from the shelling of the DR Congo

The DR Congo army coalition recently shelled Rwandan territory, and Beliya Nyirumutuzo, 58, of Rubavu town, told The New Times on Tuesday, January 28, that if the country’s security organs hadn’t been determined to protect the populace, the number of casualties would have been higher.

Similar to Nyirumutuzo, several residents of Rubavu told The New Times that they were pleasantly pleased to learn that the nation’s defense forces were employing what was obviously a rocket defense system to fight the many rockets that were fired into Rubavu from Goma on Monday and partially on Tuesday.

The bombing began shortly after the defeated Congolese army coalition struck back with rockets into Rubavu after the AFC/M23 rebels took Goma early on Monday. Kigali has denied Kinshasa’s claim that it backs the AFC/M23 revolt, yet Kinshasa still makes this claim.

According to deputy government spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda, the shooting from DR Congo has killed 13 people so far.

“We have faith in our government and president,” Nyirumutuzo stated. We have faith in President [Paul] Kagame when he promises to go to whatever lengths to keep us safe. He delivers, we know that. And he shown his ability to deliver in this situation once more. We may have suffered greatly if it weren’t for him and our security personnel, with hundreds of people possibly killed and numerous homes and infrastructure in our lovely city devastated.”

Storekeeper Gentil Nzeyimana, 22, echoed Nyiramutuzo near the Petite Barriere border crossing.

“Our army demonstrated its capabilities to us once again,” he remarked. There is no question that we have an army that we can trust! It was quite amazing how few of the several bombs that were directed at our city actually made it to fall and struck objects like buildings. That would have killed a great number of people. We also appreciate the RDF, our army, for everything.

The nation’s security forces performed well in protecting the nation’s territorial integrity, according to deputy government spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda.

When defeated, DR Congo troops escape “in disarray.”

By Tuesday noon, Goma’s intermittent gunfire had greatly decreased.

The final pockets of resistance had reportedly been eliminated when the rebels swept the city. Repelled by the M23 rebels from Goma, up to 113 Congolese troops and their FDLR militia allies fled to Rwanda. In the town of Rubavu, security personnel greeted and disarmed each of them.

“We were in chaos and defeated. One of the group’s defeated Congolese troops, Lt. Tshome Kasereka, told The New Times about what happened back in Goma before they fled for their life, “When things got tough, our leaders got onto boats and headed to Bukavu.”

Congolese troops who escaped combat with M23 rebels would never be forced to return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Rwanda, according to Ambassador Vincent Karega, the ambassador-at-large for the Great Lakes Region.

“Anyone who comes as a refugee and is in a distressing situation is welcome and will receive the support that we give to all people in difficult situations,” Karega stated, referring to Rwanda as any nation that upholds international law.