{{Defence and Military Attaches accredited to Rwanda and Members of the media, on 18 July 2013 visited Rwanda Territory bombed on 15 July 2013 from FARDC/MONUSCO DRC controlled Goma outskirts. }}
The bombs landed in the two villages of Gasiza and Kageshi, Busasamana in Rubavu District, 3.5km inside Rwanda and away from the scene of fighting proving this was a provocative and deliberate act.
According to facts and findings, the two bombs were launched by BM 21 (multiple locket launcher) and another one by T55 (battle tank) were bombed from Democratic Republic of Congo territory controlled by FARDC and MONUSCO on 15 July 2013.
While on a guided tour, the Defence and Military attachés and members of the media received briefings from Rwanda Defence Force Spokesman, Brig Gen Joseph Nzabamwita and had testimonies of the local people who witnessed the bombings.
“We have information indicating that these bombs were shot by the FARDC commando brigade led by Colonel Mamadou N’Dala Moustafa. The BM-21 bomb that landed at Kageshi was fired from Carrière in Mugunga, DRC”, said Brig Gen Joseph Nzabamwita.
The Defence and Military Spokesman continued saying that the BM 21 is manned by gunners of 41 Commando Bn of Col Didier, Commando Bde commanded by Col Mamadou N’dala. The Commando Bde is co-located with MONUSCO.
He added the team of Officers from the Extended Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) verified those facts.
The Bomb that landed at Gasiza was a T55 Tank bomb, 100mm Calibre. It was fired by a T55 tank that was located at the general area of Kanyaruchinya, a MONUSCO and FARDC dominated area where tanks were deployed in a mobile offensive role against M23 at the time as witnesses testify.
Daria Nyirabigori, an eyewitness and survivor of the shelled site in Gasiza Cell testified; “It was in mid-afternoon and I was in my garden.
I heard a heavy blast and I collapsed. I was woken up by people who came to see what had happened and that’s when I realised that a bomb had dropped nearby,” explained Nyirabigori, an old woman of eighties.
Nsabimana Theoneste (cattle keeper), said he was nearby when the bomb landed in Kageshi cell (Busasamana Sector), adding that it came from the direction of Mugunga (Congo). Asked about how he knows Mugunga direction, Nsabimana responded that he lived in Muganga as a refugee.
Though there were no casualties of the recent bombings from the DRC on Rwandan territory, unlike past 15 Bombings on Rwanda Territory in November 2012 by FARDC killing innocent civilians. MONUSCO denial follows a silent pattern in 2012 and defending FARDC even when DRC apologised for firing at Rubavu, saying it was undisciplined officers that fired without orders.
MOD
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