Kagame's comments clearly suggested that he wants South Africa to back off from DR Congo, where its military involvement dates back to the late 1990s. It first joined the UN's peacekeeping mission, Monusco, following the end of the racist system of apartheid in 1994.

M23 rebels fighting the Congolese army in eastern Congo are using advanced weapons and equipment similar to those used by the Israeli army and US special forces, a retired South African army general said Tuesday.