23/08/2013 Aljazeera: Rwanda accuses DRC of rocket attack

The Rwandan army has
accused the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo of
"deliberately" firing a rocket over the border.

Rwanda's military spokesman Joseph
Nzabamwita said firing the rocket, which landed near the border on Thursday
afternoon, was a "provocative act".

"DRC forces today
deliberately fired a rocket across the border onto Rwandan territory," an
army statement said.

The incident came as
fighting resumed outside the eastern DRC flashpoint city of Goma
between the DRC armed forces and M23, a Congolese rebel group Rwanda is
accused of backing.

Neighbours said at least
five civilians were hit by mortar fire in Goma during a second day of
heavy fighting.

'Protect civilians'

The violence marked the
first reports of civilians being wounded inside the city since late May, and
prompted the UN peacekeeping mission to issue a statement saying it would take
the "necessary steps to protect civilians".

A witness, Dieudonne
Kwibuka, told The Associated Press that at least three people were wounded by
mortar rounds that fell near an Anglican church near the centre of the town.

Residents at both locations
said they believed the mortar rounds had been fired by Rwandans.

"We could see and hear
the direction they were coming from," said Kwibuka.

Rwanda has consistently denied allegations of involvement in the Congolese
conflict or of support for the M23 movement, which is led by veterans of
previous rebellions that were backed by Rwanda.

The Rwandan border is about
5km east of where the mortar rounds landed on Thursday, whereas the fighting
between the army and M23 was about 13km to the north.

A statement issued by the
UN peacekeeping mission in Congo,
MONUSCO, said "populated areas and UN troop positions have been directly
targeted and hit by indiscriminate mortar fire" in the Goma area since
Wednesday.

"I have ordered
MONUSCO to react and take necessary steps to protect civilians and prevent any
advance by the M23," the new head of the mission, Martin Kobler, said in
the statement.

Both sides have blamed each
other for the resumption of hostilities on Wednesday after a three-week lull.