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Transcript/ScriptRIGHTS and RESTRICTIONS: Broadcast: No use USA. No use New Zealand. Digital: No edits permitted. No use New Zealand.. For Reuters customers only.
ORIGINAL TEXT PROVIDER: Reuters
ALTERNATE TEXT PROVIDER INFO: Reuters, AUG 10
ORIGINAL VIDEO PROVIDER: Reuters
ORIGINAL VIDEO SOURCE: U.S. NETWORK POOL / REUTERS
BY: U.S. NETWORK POOL / REUTERS, AUG 10
ORIGINAL VIDEO DESCRIPTION: NATURAL WITH ENGLISH SPEECH
INTRO TEXT: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday (August 9) Washington was "very concerned" about what he called credible reports that Rwanda has provided support to M23 rebels in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. Louisa Naks reports.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
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STORY: Washington is “very concerned” about what it calls credible reports that Rwanda has provided support to M23 rebels in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
That was the message from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (August 9).
His comments came during a visit to Kinshasa as part of a tour of Africa, that is set to take him to Rwanda on Wednesday (August 10).
“We are very concerned by credible reports that Rwanda’s provided support to M23. We call on all parties in the region to stop any support of cooperation with M23 or for that matter any other non-state armed group. That is essential to actually bringing peace and security to the region.”
Blinken said the conflict in eastern Congo had been a focus of his meeting with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi.
It is also expected to take center stage in his meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Wednesday.
Rwanda has previously denied accusations that it supports M23 and that it has sent troops to Congo.
M23 has denied it receives Rwandan support.
Formed in 2012, the M23 insurgency is part of the fallout from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
It claims to defend Congolese Tutsis against Hutu militias.
Since May, M23 has waged its most sustained offensive in years, killing dozens and displacing tens of thousands of people.
By July, it controlled a territory in Congo almost three times as large as it did in March, a U.N. group of experts said.
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