KIGALI, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) said it handed over on Saturday bodies of three soldiers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) who were killed in Tuesday's fire exchange between the armies of the two countries.
The commander of RDF's Second Division, Eugene Nkubito, said the soldiers died in a fire exchange when they attacked an RDF position in Rwanda's northern district of Musanze.
The handover took place at the border of Rwanda and DR Congo in Rwanda's northern district of Rubavu. It was witnessed by military experts of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Nkubito said.
There is need for regular meetings of heads of military forces from both countries to diffuse any tensions which may lead to fighting, said Nkubito in Rubavu on Saturday.
A DR Congo army officer, who identified himself as Col. Lumba, thanked the RDF for the handover and also stressed the need for regular meetings of army leadership from both countries to avoid similar incidents in future, Nkubito said.
On Friday, experts from EJVM, a group of military experts from 11 member states grouped under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region visited the area of the incident following a meeting with RDF on Thursday in Rwanda's northern district of Musanze.
At the meeting, Rwanda asked the EJVM to investigate the motive behind the attack.
On Wednesday, a spokesman of the Armed Forces of DR Congo (FARDC) said heavy fighting took place late Tuesday between the FARDC and "elements of the Rwandan army (RDF)" at the foot of Mount Nikeno in its province of North Kivu.
DR Congo also reported the incident to the ICGLR and "demanded unconditional withdrawal of Rwandan army from its soil," the FARDC spokesman said.
There have been border skirmishes between DR Congo and Rwanda over the years.
In 2014, Rwanda accused the FARDC of firing a rocket on its territory in Bugeshi Sector, Rubavu district, Western Province. The rocket did not cause any casualties.
In 2013, Rwanda said FARDC fired over 60 projectiles on Rwandan territory, killing and injuring civilians, including women and children.
