Kinshasa, DR Congo (Running Africa) — The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has filed a new case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing its neighbor of violating international law through alleged military involvement and support for armed groups operating in eastern Congo.

Justice Minister Guillaume Andali announced the legal action on Friday, saying the DRC is seeking reparations for damages caused by the conflict and a court order compelling Rwanda to end what Kinshasa describes as unlawful military activities on Congolese territory.

Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the M23 rebel group, despite findings by United Nations experts and accusations from several Western governments linking Kigali to the armed movement.

The latest legal challenge comes after M23 fighters seized large areas of eastern DRC, including the strategic city of Goma, in January, escalating one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts. Fighting has continued despite a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in December.

The roots of the conflict stretch back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which approximately 800,000 people were killed. The aftermath saw nearly one million Hutus flee into eastern Congo, contributing to decades of ethnic tensions and armed violence.

Rwanda maintains that its security concerns stem from the continued presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group with links to perpetrators of the genocide. The DRC denies collaborating with the FDLR and instead accuses Rwanda of using security concerns as a pretext to exert influence over the country’s mineral-rich eastern region.

The case marks Kinshasa’s latest attempt to pursue international legal action against Rwanda after previous filings in 2001 and 2006 were dismissed on jurisdictional grounds. The ICJ will now examine whether it has the authority to hear the new claims and determine the merits of the case.