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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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The United States Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo is reportedly among several missions targeted by protesters amid growing anger at a rebel assault in the east of the former French colony.
Protesters burned tires and threw stones in front of the U.S. Embassy's main compound in the capital, Kinshasa, The New York Times said, citing local reports.
The embassies of Rwanda, Uganda, France and Belgium were also targeted on Tuesday amid an offensive by the M23 rebels in the country's east and growing unrest in the West African nation.
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The Context
The violence comes amid anger at Congo's foreign allies over what is seen as their inability to stop an assault on the key eastern city of Goma by the M23 Congolese militia the United Nations and the United States say is supported and directed by Rwanda.
Rwanda denies it supports the M23 rebels but has acknowledged it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo, allegedly for security.
Olayinka Ajala, a West Africa expert at Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom, told Newsweek the rebels' advances could lead to a direct confrontation between Congo and Rwanda, threatening the region's stability.
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What To Know
Fighters from the M23 rebel group, led by ethnic Tutsis, have entered the eastern city of Goma and claimed they are in control of the trading hub located 1,000 miles from the capital, although the Congolese government denies this.
Aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian crisis in the city, with bodies lying on the streets and hundreds of thousands fleeing gunfire and shelling.
In Kinshasa, protesters demanded the international community pressure Rwanda over the rebels' advance. Police fired tear gas, and embassy buildings were set alight and looted, the Associated Press reported.
Tires were burned, and stones were thrown at the U.S. Embassy's main compound. An unnamed U.S. official told The New York Times that the site of a new mission under construction was also breached.
Videos from Reuters showed protesters breaking into the French Embassy and looting the building. The attacks caused a fire, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who condemned the violence. On X, formerly Twitter, he said that a blaze at the compound had been controlled.
Protesters also looted and set fire to the Ugandan Embassy and the mission of Belgium, while the office of the U.N. humanitarian agency in Congo was also attacked.
Ajala, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at Leeds Beckett University, said the attacks were concerning, although they did not represent a direct escalation at the moment, given the distance between Kinshasa and Goma.
However, M23's advances could lead to a confrontation between Congo and Rwanda, where rebel groups within and outside the country could try to take advantage of the situation in their fight for valuable resources like minerals.
"The region is very volatile with hundreds of rebel groups operating around the borders," Ajala told Newsweek. "While Rwanda insists it is protecting its own security interests, the underlying issue remains the gold deposits in the region, which all the countries are interested in."
When contacted by Newsweek, the U.S. State Department confirmed that protests in Kinshasa included those held at U.S. government facilities but all personnel were accounted for. It advised American citizens in DR Congo to shelter in place and limit unnecessary movements around the capital.
What People Are Saying
U.S. State Department said in a statement: "We can confirm reports of violent protests that occurred in Kinshasa, including at multiple U.S. government facilities the morning of January 28. Post reports full accountability for all personnel."
Protester Timothée Tshishimbi, to the Associated Press: "We denounce the hypocrisy of the international community. They must tell Rwanda to stop this adventure."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, on X: "The French embassy in Kinshasa was attacked this morning by protesters, who caused a fire that has now been brought under control. These attacks are unacceptable."
Olayinka Ajala, a West Africa expert at Leeds Beckett University, told Newsweek: "The attacks on the embassies indicate a deep displeasure in the DRC towards the countries directly involved or 'complacent' in the conflict.
"There is also displeasure Western countries are not putting enough pressure on Rwanda to stop supporting M23 and pull back its troops."
Journalist Thomas van Linge on X: "The situation in the capital Kinshasa is completely out of control."
What Happens Next
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the M23 assault on Goma and affirmed the United States' respect for Congo's sovereignty, the State Department said.
As the unrest escalates, the United Nations Security Council is scheduled to host an emergency meeting on Tuesday.
Update 01/30/25, 4:15 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with a U.S. State Department statement.
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