By RODNEY MUHUMUZA Associated Press |KAMPALA, Uganda — Authorities in Rwanda on Monday rejected U.S. calls for the withdrawal of troops and missile systems from eastern Congo, saying they are defending Rwandan territory as Congo carries out a “dramatic military build-up” near the border. The rebel group, known by its initials FDLR, “is fully integrated into” the Congolese army, the statement said. The U.S. State Department in a statement Saturday criticized the worsening violence caused by M23, describing it as a “Rwanda-backed” armed group. M23 is one of more than 100 armed groups active in eastern Congo, seeking a share of the region’s gold and other resources as they carry out mass killings. After being largely dormant for a decade, M23 resurfaced in late 2021 and has since captured wide parts of eastern Congo.
