Category: News

According to a statement released by the Congo River Alliance on Monday, August 25, at around 2:30 a.m., these forces carried out incursions into densely populated areas of Kibati, Munigi, Goma, and surrounding communities. The attacks resulted in the deaths of four civilians and left three others seriously injured.

The Alliance called on human rights organisations, as well as the national and international community, to document and strongly condemn what it described as “systematic war crimes and crimes against humanity” perpetrated by the Kinshasa regime.

The statement further accused the government of trampling the spirit and letter of the ongoing Doha Peace Process, citing continued arbitrary arrests, death sentences for alleged members of the Alliance, and targeting former President Joseph Kabila in what the group called “a mockery of justice.”

In an earlier statement on Sunday, August 24, the Alliance warned that coalition forces—including foreign mercenaries—had launched attacks on KADASOMWA and nearby positions, causing significant civilian displacement and casualties from drone bombardments.

The statement warned that, unlike previous attacks where perpetrators were allowed to return home without consequence, this new campaign would not go unpunished.

The Congo River Alliance reiterated its commitment to protect civilian populations and establish a security perimeter to neutralise what it described as the “terrorist forces of the Kinshasa regime.”

The AFC/M23 remains engaged in ongoing peace talks in Doha, Qatar, aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern DRC, where the group has accused government forces of targeting Kinyarwanda-speaking communities through marginalisation and violence.

He made these remarks during the celebration of the Anglican Church of Rwanda’s 100th anniversary, which took place at Gahini Diocese in Kayonza District.

When asked about the progress of reopening closed churches, Dr. Mbanda explained that they are working to fulfill all the requirements and are hopeful that the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) will authorize their reopening.

“The requirements and guidelines from RGB are being implemented. We are using the Irembo platform to register all churches that meet the standards. Many have already completed this process while others are still working on it. This does not only concern the Anglican Church but applies to all churches in Rwanda that wish to reopen,” he said.

Dr. Mbanda also cautioned religious leaders and Christians against criticizing the policy of closing churches that fail to meet standards, emphasizing that the measures are meant to protect the faithful, not to serve the interests of the state.

“Sometimes we misinterpret these requirements. But they are actually for our own good. If someone tells you that a church must have toilets, proper ventilation, or sufficient lighting, those are not bad demands—they are meant to help us. It is true that some churches face financial challenges that prevent them from meeting all the requirements immediately, but difficulty does not mean they are unnecessary. In fact, they are very important,” he said.

He added: “We need to comply step by step, patiently putting in place the necessary facilities. Once this is done, RGB will begin inspections and allow churches that meet the standards to reopen.”

Dr. Mbanda admitted that it is not easy for all churches to meet the requirements at once, but noted that the situation is improving gradually.

“Some churches struggle to raise funds, while others have pastors who do not yet meet the required educational qualifications. However, many denominations have started addressing this. For example, ADEPR has sent more than 1,000 pastors to pursue diplomas so they can meet the standard,” he explained.

He urged church leaders to fulfill the requirements, stressing that doing so benefits both the leaders themselves and their congregations.

According to RGB, a nationwide inspection in 2024 found that out of more than 13,000 churches, about 59.3% were closed for failing to meet standards. In February 2025, a follow-up inspection led to more than 20 denominations losing their licenses to operate in Rwanda.

Speaking on August 24, the coalition’s deputy coordinator, Bertrand Bisimwa, stated that Kinshasa must account for the charges brought against Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019.

Kabila is currently being tried before the country’s High Military Court on accusations of treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The trial opened on July 25, 2025.

Prosecutors allege that Kabila committed these crimes in connection with his supposed leadership role within the AFC/M23 movement, despite his earlier public denial in March that he had no involvement with the group.

During court proceedings on August 22, 2025, prosecutors requested the death penalty for Kabila. They also demanded the confiscation of assets valued at approximately $32 billion and sought an additional $21 billion in damages.

Bisimwa has pointed out that the trial contradicts commitments recently signed between the government and AFC/M23 under a Qatar-brokered agreement.

The deal included a provision for the release of more than 700 detainees, comprising suspected members and affiliates of the coalition.

“The Kinshasa regime owes us explanations regarding this media-judicial lynching of President Joseph Kabila, who is being prosecuted and sentenced to death for his alleged support to the AFC/M23, at a time when we had agreed that detainees prosecuted for the same charges should be released,” Bisimwa said.

The funding of 2 billion Canadian dollars (1.45 billion U.S. dollars) was committed at the June G7 Summit held in Canada’s Kananaskis.

About 835 million Canadian dollars (603 million dollars) of the total are planned to procure a range of critical equipment for Ukraine, including armored vehicles, medical equipment, spare parts, small arms, ammunition, and explosives, as well as additional drone capabilities and other urgently needed equipment and supplies for Ukraine, the release said.

About 680 million Canadian dollars (491 million dollars) are for the purchase of military equipment sourced from the United States to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and provide other urgently needed military assistance, the release said.

About 220 million Canadian dollars (159 million dollars) will be used to purchase drone, counter-drone, and electronic warfare capabilities, including investments in joint ventures between Ukrainian and Canadian industry, it said.

According to Reuters, the six-year contract grants Meta access to Google Cloud’s servers, storage, and networking services.

The partnership comes at a critical moment as Meta intensifies its investment in AI and rapidly expands its data infrastructure on a global scale.

For Google, the agreement is a significant achievement in the fiercely competitive cloud market, traditionally dominated by Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Google Cloud recently reported 32% revenue growth in the second quarter of 2025, and bringing Meta on board further consolidates its position as a leading provider of large-scale computing power.

Meta has made no secret of its commitment to artificial intelligence as the core of its future strategy. In July, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on new data centres and AI systems.

The company also raised its 2025 capital expenditure forecast to between $66 billion and $72 billion, an increase of $2 billion compared to earlier projections. To support this growth, Meta has been selling off roughly $2 billion worth of data center assets, a move designed to balance costs while maintaining the pace of expansion.

Partnering with Google Cloud offers Meta the flexibility to scale quickly without being constrained by its own facilities.

The deal also reflects broader trends across the technology industry. Google Cloud has secured similar partnerships with other AI companies, including OpenAI, underscoring how even rival firms are turning to its infrastructure to power their most advanced projects.

News of the agreement was well received by investors. Meta’s stock rose 2% to $754.55 on Thursday, recovering some ground after a week of steep declines.

Analysts view the deal as a clear signal that Meta is consolidating its role in the AI race while making strategic infrastructure choices that could shape the future of the industry.

This warning follows complaints from some residents of Cyanzarwe Sector, Rwangara Cell, in Buramazi Village, Rubavu District, who have for several days been demanding that one of their neighbors accused of bewitching children leave the area and return to his place of origin.

In May 2025, some residents of Cyanzarwe told IGIHE that their neighbor was bewitching children. They claimed that even the Executive Secretary of the cell had signed a document ordering the suspect to return home.

According to them, the accused lived in hiding during the day and only came back at night. Residents warned that unless action was taken, they would stone him to death.

Earlier, in December 2023, Rwanda Police reported the arrest of five people suspected of stoning a neighbor to death after accusing him of witchcraft. The incident occurred on the evening of Saturday, December 2, 2023, in Cyanzarwe Sector, Makurizo Cell, Makurizo Village.

In a recent community meeting with residents of Rubavu and Cyanzarwe sectors, the Western Province Police Commander, CP Emmanuel Hatari, reminded citizens to refrain from mob justice.

“We are concerned about cases of mob justice driven by ignorance and harmful beliefs. Some people claim a child has been bewitched but instead of taking the child to the hospital for treatment, or reporting the matter to local authorities, they choose to take justice into their own hands,” he said.

“We have already registered two such cases in Cyanzarwe. This is unacceptable, because once you engage in mob justice, the law holds you accountable. We have leadership structures and a functioning justice system. There is no reason for anyone to resort to mob justice. Always approach the authorities so that your problems are resolved lawfully,” CP Hatari added.

His remarks come days after French investigative judges dismissed a long-running case against her, citing insufficient evidence.

Speaking to France Inter on Saturday, Duclert said, “The archival documents we are collecting show the very strong involvement of Agathe Habyarimana in the Genocide against the Tutsi, being, like her brother, the mastermind of the Zero Network, the secret command center tasked with exterminating the Tutsi.”

French judges ruled on August 20 that there were no grounds to prosecute Kanziga for complicity in genocide or crimes against humanity, noting she was herself affected by the April 6, 1994 plane attack that killed her husband.

However, Duclert stressed that historical records tell a different story, pointing to her alleged role in coordinating the extremist “Zero Network” and her continued activism after being evacuated to France by French forces on April 9, 1994.

“The most numerous and converging analyses confirm that the attack on her husband’s plane was the work of the Zero Network, either directly or as the instigator,” Duclert said, adding that Kanziga was also heavily involved in the killings that immediately followed.

He argued that further investigation into her role “clearly seems necessary.”

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The ruling has already sparked appeals. On Thursday, France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) announced it would contest the decision, alongside the Civil Parties Collective for Rwanda (CPCR), which represents genocide survivors.

Lawyer Richard Gisagara, who represents survivor organisations, confirmed that the decision to halt the probe will not stand unchallenged.

“Do not be discouraged by the celebrations of génocidaires, deniers, hatemongers, and their supporters. This is only one step in the case. The next steps are appeal and annulment. The case cannot be declared closed until it has gone through all these stages,” he said on August 22.

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The case against Kanziga dates back to 2008, when survivors’ groups filed a complaint in France over her alleged role in the genocide. Judges previously attempted to close the case in 2022, citing lack of evidence, but PNAT pushed for a broader inquiry covering her activities in the weeks leading up to April 6, 1994. Despite these requests, investigative judges in May 2025 again dismissed the case, a decision reaffirmed last week.

The ruling has been welcomed by the Habyarimana family, including Kanziga’s son Jean-Luc, who claimed the case was permanently closed. But survivor groups and prosecutors argue that both the scope and evidence considered by the judges were too limited.

Kanziga, now 82, has lived in France since her evacuation during the genocide, reportedly surviving on state support. Analysts argue that her protection reflects enduring political sensitivities in France over its role in Rwanda.

Political analyst Tite Gatabazi told IGIHE that remnants of the Mitterrand era continue to shield her.

“She holds secrets about France’s role in the genocide. She was evacuated by a French plane. To this day, she lives on support from the French state. Even though governments have changed, she still has powerful protectors,” he said.

Seven children and three women are among the injured, and 21 are in critical condition, said the ministry in a statement. Houthis officials told Xinhua Sunday night that the toll could increase, as several of the wounded remain in critical condition.

The strikes, carried out Sunday afternoon, targeted fuel and power stations, the presidential palace complex and other civilian facilities, according to the Houthis.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed in a statement that an air attack was carried out in Yemen.

The military said the sites included the presidential palace, the Asar and Hizaz power plants and a fuel storage facility, which it said were being used for military activity.

Israeli state-owned Kan TV reported that 14 warplanes took part in the attack, dropping about 40 bombs in the area.

In a statement issued Sunday evening, the Houthi group accused Israel of “brutal aggression” against civilian facilities and held both Israel and the United States responsible for what it described as a “heinous crime.”

The Houthis vowed to strike back in retaliation.

The strikes came two days after the Houthis fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at Tel Aviv, damaging houses with shrapnel but causing no deaths.

The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including Sanaa and Hodeidah port, have launched repeated attacks on Israel since November 2023, in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Israel has retaliated with airstrikes on Houthi-held areas.

In an interview with NBC News, Vance rejected the notion that Moscow was stringing President Donald Trump along, saying the Russians have been “flexible” on some of their demands.

“I think the Russians have made significant concessions to President Trump for the first time in three and a half years of this conflict,” Vance said. “They’ve actually been willing to be flexible on some of their core demands. They’ve talked about what would be necessary to end the war.”

“Of course, they haven’t been completely there yet, or the war would be over. But we’re engaging in this diplomatic process in good faith,” he added.

“We’re going to keep on doing what we have to do to bring this thing to a close,” Vance said. “I don’t think it’s going to happen overnight.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not being planned.

Intense diplomatic efforts have been underway in recent weeks to end the conflict in Ukraine. Following the Trump-Putin meeting in the U.S. state of Alaska, Trump held talks with Zelensky and European leaders on Monday.

Ndikuriyo made these remarks during a recent media briefing in Butanyerere District, Buye, which addressed several national issues, including widespread poverty, fuel shortages, refugee returns, border closures, and prospects for restoring ties with Rwanda.

When journalists asked about the potential reopening of borders and the restoration of bilateral relations, Ndikuriyo was unequivocal. He stated that Burundi is not prepared to live in harmony with Rwanda until those involved in the 2015 coup attempt are surrendered.

“Rwanda must hand over those who attempted the coup d’état. If they continue to refuse, we will not back down because Burundians respect themselves and their dignity,” he stated.

Burundi closed its borders in January 2024, after repeatedly accusing Rwanda of supporting the RED Tabara rebel group following an attack in the Gatumba area of Bujumbura. At the time, the Rwandan government dismissed the claims, saying they were false and that Rwanda had no connection to any armed group in Burundi.

Rwanda has also made clear that it cannot hand over the individuals involved in the coup attempt, as doing so would violate international refugee law.

Bilateral relations between Rwanda and Burundi deteriorated sharply in 2015 during an attempted coup against Nkurunziza. The coup, led by soldiers including Gen. Maj. Godefroid Niyombare, unfolded while Nkurunziza was attending an East African Community summit in Tanzania.

On May 15, 2015, forces loyal to Nkurunziza regained control, prompting Niyombare and other coup participants—soldiers, police, and politicians—to flee. Burundi claims many sought refuge in Kigali, and has repeatedly requested their extradition, which Rwanda has refused on legal grounds.

On March 10, 2025, intelligence officials from both countries met in Kirundo Province to discuss security issues that have exacerbated tensions. While talks also addressed potential pathways for restoring relations, progress has been stalled by Burundi’s continued accusatory stance towards Rwanda.

The border closure has significantly disrupted travel and trade between the two countries.

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While Burundi focuses on accusations against Rwanda and demands the extradition of coup plotters as a precondition for better ties, experts warn that its tolerance of the FDLR militia group linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda could hinder the restoration of relations.

The collaboration between Burundian troops and the FDLR has been evident in eastern DRC, where they have worked alongside the Kinshasa administration in efforts to neutralise the AFC/M23 rebel coalition.

Analysts also warn that if military operations targeting the FDLR are carried out as part of the DRC–Rwanda agreement signed in June, its members may seek refuge in Burundi.

The FDLR remains a major security threat to Rwanda, having contributed to instability in eastern DRC for the past three decades. Rwanda has consistently affirmed that as long as the group exists, it will maintain defensive measures to protect its security.