DR Congo fighting: The evidence that shows Rwanda is backing M23 rebels

However, this response has noticeably shifted as accusations continue to grow with “overwhelming evidence” showing Rwanda’s support for the rebel group, according to Richard Moncrief, International Crisis Group’s project director for the Great Lakes

“The tone has changed to justification for defensive measures,” he told the BBC. “It has become harder to deny Rwanda’s support for M23.”

On Sunday, Rwanda’s foreign ministry said in a statement: “This fighting close to the Rwandan border continues to present a serious threat to Rwanda’s security and territorial integrity, and necessitates Rwanda’s sustained defensive posture.”

It said it was concerned by “misguided or manipulative” statements that lacked context about the conflict.

For Kagame, the context all comes down to the Rwandan genocide that took place over 100 days in 1994.

The ethnic Hutu militia involved in killing up to 800,000 people – the vast majority from the Tutsi community – fled to what is now DR Congo, some forming the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

This rebel group is still active in the notoriously unstable eastern DR Congo – and still includes some of those responsible for the genocide.

Kagame, who headed the rebel Tutsi force that ended the killing more than three decades ago, sees this “genocidal militia” as an existential threat.

His government has twice invaded DR Congo, saying it wants to stop Hutu rebel groups from staging cross-border attacks.

Earlier this month he called out his Congolese counterpart, Félix Tshisekedi, for failing to deal with the FDLR and talk to the M23, saying this was exacerbating the conflict.

Mr Moncrief believes that the targeting of Goma is more about making a political point as he says the M23 does not need the city strategically as it already “controls many more lucrative areas”.

“It is President Kagame’s way of exerting power over who is in charge of North Kivu,” said the Great Lakes expert.

Rwanda accused the military governor of North Kivu, who was killed in fighting last week, of collaborating with the FDLR.

The discovery of this kind of high-level collaboration, experts agree, would have been like a red flag to a bull for Rwanda.