Rwanda severs ties with France as assassination row intensifies
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Relations between France and Rwanda have soured after a French judge said he suspected the Rwandan President of assassinating one of his predecessors.
Rwanda severed diplomatic ties with Paris and gave the French ambassador 24 hours to leave the country. Earlier the African country recalled its ambassador to Paris in protest against the judge's accusation that President Paul Kagame and nine other senior Rwandan officials may have been involved in the shooting down of an aircraft in April 1994. The attack, which killed the then president Juvenal Habyarimana, led to the genocide of President Kagame's own Tutsi community by Hutus.
The judge, Jean-Louis Bruguière, issued arrest warrants for nine the officials on Tuesday. Because France cannot try the head of state of another country, he suggested that President Kagame should face charges before a UN tribunal.
Rwanda has angrily rejected the allegations. "For the past 12 years, France has waging ... war against the government of Rwanda, hoping to overthrow it and re-instate to power allies and perpetrators of the genocide," a Foreign Ministry statement said.
Paris, which has been trying to improve relations with Rwanda, has dismissed this allegation.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments