Rwandan President Paul Kagame ordered an invasion of eastern Congo which materialized last week, with the intent of bolstering the Tutsi nationalist M23 militia. Kagame has often attempted to keep Rwandan interventions in eastern Congo concealed in denial and censorship, however this latest invasion is one of the most prominent yet.

This comes as the Rwandan-backed Tutsi nationalist militia M23 recently announced its mobilization for the first time in nine years. Two Rwandan soldiers have been captured during the invasion thus far.

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The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) are now referring to M23 as the Rwandan Army, given its clear status as a proxy force. Rwandan state airline RwandAir has been banned from flying in Congolese airspace due to its complicity with the invasion.

Much like with many other states around the world such as the Turkish state, the Rwandan state resorts to cross-border military operations and invasions to externalize its domestic problems and divert the general population from dissent.

For more context on Rwandan relations with Congo, see this article. For context on the factions of the conflict in eastern Congo, see these articles.