Demonstrators attacked multiple foreign embassies in Kinshasa on Tuesday as anger mounted over the perceived failure of Congo’s international allies to stop a rebel advance on the eastern city of Goma.
Protesters breached the French Embassy, removing furniture and leaving graffiti that read “Macron kills in Congo” and “You have long betrayed us,” referring to French President Emmanuel Macron. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the violence “unacceptable” after protesters set fire to the building, though the blaze was later controlled.
The unrest spread to other diplomatic missions. Demonstrators burned tires and threw stones at the US Embassy’s main compound and breached a new embassy construction site, according to an American official in Kinshasa who requested anonymity. The Ugandan Embassy faced looting and fire damage, while protesters also targeted the Belgian Embassy and United Nations humanitarian office. A small fire burned outside the Rwandan Embassy.
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The protests erupted after the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels launched an assault Monday on Goma, a key eastern city. The United Nations and United States say Rwanda supports and directs M23, an accusation Rwanda denies. The rebel offensive has displaced more than 500,000 people since January, according to UN figures.
As demonstrations rocked the capital, gunfire echoed through Goma, forcing residents to flee. The city, located 1,000 miles east of Kinshasa, previously served as a refuge for those escaping M23 advances and violence from other armed groups.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi on Monday, condemning the M23 assault and affirming American support for Congo’s sovereignty, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.
Rwanda has rejected allegations of supporting M23, instead accusing Congo of threatening Rwanda’s security by massing troops near their shared border and failing to maintain peace in its eastern regions.
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