An armed Congolese soldier was earlier Friday shot dead at the Rwanda-DR Congo border in Rubavu after he entered Rwanda and indiscriminately fired at border and security personnel on duty.
He was shot by a Rwanda National Police officer on guard at around 8:45a.m (6.45 am GMT), a Rwandan military statement said.
The Rwandan police officer shot back in self-defence and to protect civilians crossing the Petite Barriere border post, the RDF said, adding the Congolese soldier had walked 25 metres inside the Rwandan territory.
Two Rwandan police officers were injured from gunshots fired by the attacker, the military said, without releasing further details on the extent of the injuries.
The incident has since been reported to the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism for investigation, the RDF said, referring to a DR Congo-based regional body that monitors and investigates cross-border security incidents.
Officials from both sides have since met at the scene, according to our reporter in Rubavu.
A picture of what is believed to be the body of the Congolese attacker lying on the ground shows that he was armed with what appears to be an AK 47 rifle.
“We assure the public that the situation at the border is now calm,” the military statement said.
Tensions continue on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Earlier Thursday, several thousand people demonstrated on Wednesday in Goma, on the border with Rwanda, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to denounce the alleged “Rwandan aggression”
The situation escalated between the DRC and Rwanda after a rebel group, called M23, captured the DRC border town of Bunagana on Monday, June 13. Congo has accused Rwanda of backing the rebel group.
Rwanda has always refuted “the baseless accusations”.
CU/abj/APA