Suspected Congolese soldier killed after crossing border, Rwanda ministry says

An unidentified soldier believed to be from the Congolese army has been killed after crossing the border and firing at local security forces on Saturday, Rwanda's defence ministry said.

The soldier entered Rwanda's Rubavu district and started shooting at Rwanda Defence Force guard towers, the ministry said in a statement.

The Congolese army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, which has been fighting the Congolese government for a decade. Rwanda denies the accusation.

M23 has waged several offensives in east Congo this year, with clashes between the army and the rebels resulting in thousands of civilians being displaced since March.

Regional powers are working to ease relations between Rwanda and Congo. Kenya's former president Uhuru Kenyatta and Rwanda's President Paul Kagame agreed on Friday on the need for M23 rebels to cease fire and withdraw from captured territories in east Congo, the East African Community bloc said.