JAKARTA - Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fired tear gas at protesters in the capital, Kinshasa, today after the embassy was attacked by conflict in the east of the country.

The demonstrators targeted the embassies of the countries they accused of being involved in Rwanda's support for the M23 rebels, who have captured the eastern provincial capital, Goma.

A European diplomat told Reuters that the French embassies, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya were targeted by protesters.

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said at a post on X that the French embassy in Kinshasa was attacked and burned briefly, even though the flames had been controlled.

"All this is because of Rwanda. What Rwanda is doing is engaging with France, Belgium, the United States, and others. Congolese people are tired. How many times do we have to die?" said a protester to Reuters quoted Tuesday, January 28.

Protests erupted across the city with demonstrators burning tires and clashing with police who fired tear gas to disperse them, a Reuters reporter in Kinshasa said.

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels marched into the eastern city of Goma on Monday in the big escalation of the three-decade conflict.

Protesters attacking the Kenyan embassies and soldiers there did not stop them, an eyewitness said, while Reuters reporters said he saw Ugandan embassy looted.

Speaking on national TV, Congo's Minister of Communications Patrick Muyaya urged protesters to stop their attacks. He later said the situation was under control.

"We have the right... to express our anger, but let's do it peacefully. Don't attack the consular infrastructure of accredited countries in Congo," he said.


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