Residents of Rubavu District have been urged to stay calm following an incident that happened today, November 19, in which an unidentified soldier was shot dead after he crossed the Rwanda-DR Congo border known as Petite Barrière.

Ildephonse Kambogo, the Mayor for Rubavu District, urged this while speaking to the local media.

"People should stay calm; there is nothing out of the ordinary that has happened, you can see business activities are going on,” Kambogo said, adding that "people should believe in security organs and understand that they are doing their job.”

According to RDF’s statement, the soldier who was shot dead is "believed to be from DR Congo armed forces.”

The slain soldier is said to have started opening fire at Rwanda Defence Force guard towers.

The incident took place in Gisenyi Sector, Mbugangari Cell, about 50 meters from the DR Congo territory and 200 meters from the main border’s official entry.

At around midday, the regional Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) alongside Rwanda security organs, reached the scene and collected information then the body was taken to Gisenyi Hospital. Investigation into the incident is ongoing.