Minister denies Rwandan rebel support but confirms Mayi-Mayi support

The foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Leonard She Okitundu, on Tuesday rejected accusations that his government was allowing Rwandan rebels to attack Rwanda from bases in the DRC, Reuters reported on Tuesday. “The government considers these accusations as being entirely unfounded,” Okitundu told Reuters. Rwanda has accused Kinshasa of impeding implementation of the Lusaka peace agreement by supporting rebel attacks into Rwanda. Instead, Okitundu blamed attacks on Rwandan rebels based within Rwanda as well as Uganda, Reuters reported. Okitundu, however, confirmed that the DRC government was arming Mayi-Mayi militias operating in territory occupied by Rwandan-backed rebels. “If you call the Mayi-Mayi Congolese citizens who are fighting against occupation, then we support them,” Okitundu told Reuters. “This struggle will continue until the occupation is over. It is legitimate that the population fight against this occupation and this will continue and we support this fight.”