Rwanda announced on Monday that it has given Belgian diplomats a 48-hour deadline to leave the country, following the severance of diplomatic ties with Brussels.

In a statement released by Kigali’s foreign affairs ministry, Belgium is accused of interfering in Rwanda’s affairs.

“Belgium has persistently undermined Rwanda, both before and during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), wherein Belgium has a deep and violent historical involvement, particularly in actions against Rwanda,” the statement reads in part.

Recently, Belgium halted aid and suspended trade agreements due to Kigali’s aggression in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

During a press conference in Kigali on Sunday, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame conveyed a defiant stance, stating that the East African nation would defend its interests against foreign interference.

Kagame specifically targeted Belgium, which ruled Rwanda as a colony until 1962, accusing it of committing atrocities against Rwandans and vowing to combat its ‘neo-colonial interference’.

Kigali has been subject to increased international scrutiny over its role in the conflict in eastern Congo, where its proxy rebel force holds control over two resource-rich provinces.