By SALEH MWANAMILONGO and RUKMINI CALLIMACHI
CORRECTS DATE – A Rwandan armored vehicle with soldiers on top drives past residents of Kigali, Rwanda Friday Aug. 30, 2013 as it heads towards western border. Rwandan forces on Friday continued to deploy on the border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after the central African country said it ‘could not tolerate’ any more violations from its vast neighbour to the west. Trucks carrying heavy artillery and armored tanks started living Kigali on Thursday night a few hours after Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo said that her country will move to defend her borders after bombs allegedly from the DRC side fell in the western town of Gisenyi, killing two. (AP Photo)
KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Residents in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, lined the streets to watch a military convoy including troops, tanks and trucks loaded with artillery head out toward the western border with Congo.
The convoy began leaving midday Friday after Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo said Rwanda will defend its borders after rockets, allegedly from Congo, fell in Rwandan territory, killing a mother and seriously injuring her 2-month-old baby.
It is believed the Rwandan army troops are headed to Gisenyi, 151 kilometers (93 miles) west, which borders the Congolese city of Goma.
Rwanda is accused of backing the M23 rebel group in Congo, which is entrenched in the hills just above the city of Goma. United Nations and Congolese forces went on the offensive against the M23 last week.
