Kagame warns Tshisekedi: “If you attack Rwanda, We will find you where you launch from”
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has issued a strong warning to his Congolese counterpart, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, who previously threatened to attack Rwanda using drones and long-range missiles. Kagame cautioned that if Tshisekedi attempts such an attack, Rwanda will retaliate by targeting him wherever he launches his operations.
The warning comes in response to remarks made by President Tshisekedi in 2023 during his re-election campaign. While addressing supporters at Sainte-Thérèse in Kinshasa, Tshisekedi claimed his government was ready to strike Rwanda, accusing it of supporting the M23 rebel group.
At the time, Tshisekedi told Congolese citizens:
“Do not be afraid. Our army can now strike Kigali from Goma. Kagame will not sleep in his house; he will go sleep in the forest. He can play with others, but not with Fatshi Béton.”
He further threatened that if the Rwandan army or M23 fired a single bullet into Congo, he would convene parliament to seek authorization to declare war on Rwanda.
“If their first bullet lands in Congo, in Goma, or if they capture any area, I will call on Parliament to declare war on Rwanda,” Tshisekedi declared.
Ironically, Goma, which he referred to at the time, has been under the control of M23 rebels for over five months after Congolese government forces were pushed out in January this year.
Speaking on Friday evening during Rwanda’s Liberation Day celebrations at the Kigali Convention Center, President Kagame dismissed Tshisekedi’s threats. He emphasized that although Rwanda does not possess drones or long-range missiles, it has the capability to reach targets over 2,000 kilometers away if necessary.
“You have heard people saying they have power and capacity, that they have everything to cause problems, and that they are far from this capital city we are all in today. We told them that even though we may not have those capabilities, we will find them where they are,” Kagame stated.
He continued:
“We have capabilities they don’t know about. We can travel 2,000 kilometers if we need to fight. The rest is just noise. These people keep telling you stories about their drones and missiles, saying they will attack Rwanda; we will find them wherever they launch those drones.”
President Kagame’s comments come amid heightened tensions between Rwanda and the DRC over allegations of support for rebel groups and continued insecurity in the eastern region of Congo.
