NAIROBI, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan army on Thursday said three soldiers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) were killed in a fire exchange when the latter attacked an army position in northern Rwandan district of Musanze.
This came after accusations by DR Congo on Wednesday that Rwandan soldiers launched an incursion into its territory.
Eugene Nkubito, commander of Rwanda Defense Force (RDF)'s Second Division, said the Armed Forces of DR Congo (FARDC) attacked an RDF position in Iterambere village, Shingiro Sector, on Tuesday around 7 a.m. local time, and three were killed before the attackers were repelled.
Nkubito made the case at a meeting in Musanze, which brought together experts from the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), a group of about 20 military experts from 11 member states grouped under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
Rwanda has appealed to the EJVM to investigate the motive behind the attack, Nkubito said.
On Wednesday, a DR Congo army spokesman said heavy fighting took place late Tuesday between the FARDC and "elements of the Rwandan army (RDF)" at the foot of Mount Nikeno in its province of North Kivu.
DR Congo also reported the incident to the ICGLR and "demanded unconditional withdrawal of Rwandan army from its soil."
There have been border skirmishes between DR Congo and Rwanda over the years.
In 2014, Rwanda accused the FARDC of firing a rocket on its territory in Bugeshi Sector, Rubavu district, Western Province. The rocket did not cause any casualties.
In 2013, Rwanda said FARDC fired over 60 projectiles on Rwandan territory, killing and injuring civilians, including women and children. (Xinhua correspondents in Kigali, Rwanda, and Goma, DR Congo, contributed to this report.)
