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Belgium responds by saying Rwandan diplomats no longer welcome as ties fray over respective roles in the DRC conflict.

Rwanda says it has cut diplomatic ties with Belgium and ordered all of the European country’s diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, drawing a swift response from Brussels.

In a statement on Monday, the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation accused Belgium of “consistently” undermining Kigali “during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo” (DRC).

“The Government of Rwanda today notified the Government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately,” it added.

In turn, Belgium said Rwandan diplomats were no longer welcome in the country.

“Belgium regrets the decision of Rwanda to cut off diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgium’s diplomats persona non grata,” Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said on X.

“This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue.”

Rwanda’s move came a day after President Paul Kagame accused Belgium of advocating for international sanctions against his country over the conflict in eastern DRC.

Since January, the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has launched a massive offensive in the mineral-rich east of the DRC earlier this year, taking two major cities, in a lightning advance.

A UN report has said that Kigali effectively controls the group and has around 4,000 troops in the country.

Kigali has denied involvement in the conflict and says it faces a threat from ethnic Hutu fighters in the DRC.

The Congolese government says at least 7,000 people have died since then.

Amid the diplomatic tensions, the M23 rebels announced they would send a delegation to peace talks with DRC expected to begin on Tuesday in Angola’s capital.

The five-member delegation is expected to leave for Luanda on Monday for dialogue at the request of Angolan authorities,” Lawrence Kanyuka, a spokesperson for the AFC rebel alliance that includes the M23, said in a post on X.