DR Congo's President Tshisekedi Draws Comparison Between Rwanda's Kagame and Hitler

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has escalated his verbal attacks on the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, by comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Tshisekedi made these statements during a campaign rally in Bukavu near the Rwandan border, as he seeks re-election. He has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting rebels in the eastern region of Congo, although Rwanda denies these allegations. The Rwandan government's spokesperson described Tshisekedi's comments as a "loud and clear threat." Despite efforts to address the violence in the east of the country, insecurity remains widespread. Various armed groups, including the Tutsi-led M23 rebels, have caused chaos and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Tshisekedi claimed that the M23 rebels receive support from Rwanda, a notion supported by a UN group of experts in a recent report. Tshisekedi told his supporters that he would confront Kagame, warning him that he would suffer the same fate as Hitler. Tshisekedi has previously described Kagame as an enemy of the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Kagame has dismissed these accusations and focused on countering the Hutu-led rebel group FDLR in eastern Congo. Rwanda's government spokesperson responded to Tshisekedi's Hitler remarks by emphasizing the threat posed by FDLR. Kagame has been the central political figure in Rwanda since the genocide in 1994, where hundreds of thousands were killed.