French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot flew to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday after protesters attacked the Paris diplomatic mission in Kishasa in the wake of an M23 rebel offensive in the eastern town of Goma.
Barrot will meet with his counterpart Therese Kayikwamba and President Felix Tshisekedi to discuss the latest developments.
Several diplomatic missions, including those of France and the United States, were attacked by angry protesters in Kinshasa on Tuesday as the M23 rebel group launched an offensive in Goma, which borders Rwanda. Paris condemned the attacks on diplomatic missions, calling them “unacceptable.”
Barrot is also accompanied by Emmanuel Cohet, France’s special envoy for the Great Lakes region, the official Congolese news agency said. After the talks in Kinshasa, Barrot is set to continue his diplomatic mission in Kigali on Friday afternoon, where he will meet his Rwandan counterpart.
Last week, M23 launched a major offensive on the city of Goma, which is home to about 3 million people. Kinshasa, however, has accused Kigali of sending troops into the city to support the rebels.
Although Kigali denies supporting the rebels, regional leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire as dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured. It is still unclear who controls the town and government offices in Goma, which borders Rwanda.
Some reports say about 100 people have died in the past week, but Anadolu could not confirm the exact death toll.
Thousands of people have been displaced, many fleeing to Rwanda, including staff of international organisations such as the UN and the World Bank. Kigali said nine of its citizens were killed in suspected cross-border shelling from Goma. At least 17 peacekeepers have been killed since last week.
