Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fired tear gas at protesters in the capital, Kinshasa, on Tuesday after demonstrators attacked several foreign embassies.
The unrest was fueled by anger over the ongoing conflict in the country’s east, where Rwandan-backed M23 rebels recently seized the provincial capital, Goma.
Protesters targeted embassies of nations they accuse of supporting Rwanda’s alleged involvement with the M23 rebels. A European diplomat confirmed that the embassies of France, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya were among those attacked.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated on social media platform X that the French embassy in Kinshasa was set on fire during the protests, though the blaze was quickly brought under control.
“How many times should we die? All of this is because of Rwanda. What Rwanda is doing is in complicity with France, Belgium, the United States, and others. The people of Congo are tired,” one protester told Reuters.
The demonstrations spread across the city, with protesters burning tires and clashing with police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Witnesses reported that the Kenyan embassy was attacked, with soldiers present failing to intervene, while the Ugandan embassy was allegedly looted.
Congo’s Communications Minister, Patrick Muyaya, addressed the nation on television, urging protesters to cease their attacks on diplomatic missions. “We have every right… to express our anger, but let’s do it peacefully.
Let’s not attack the consular infrastructures of countries accredited in Congo,” he said. Muyaya later confirmed that the situation had been brought under control.
The protests come amid a significant escalation in the decades-long conflict in eastern DRC, as M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, continue to advance.
The unrest highlights growing frustration among Congolese citizens over perceived international complicity in the crisis.
