A new group of Rwandans, including former fighters of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), has been returned from eastern Congo to Rwanda under a United Nations-led initiative.
The operation, carried out on Tuesday at the Goma–Rubavu border crossing, included 34 individuals, of whom 15 were ex-combatants and 19 were family members.
The repatriation was conducted through MONUSCO’s Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reintegration, and Stabilisation programme, which provides a secure way for armed group members and their relatives to leave conflict zones.
With this latest group, 60 Rwandans have now returned under the initiative, including 33 former fighters.
Officials say that the number of voluntary surrenders has grown in recent months, particularly after the M23 rebels seized parts of Goma last year. The takeover prompted several armed factions to reconsider their positions and opt for peaceful reintegration.
Since the programme began, nearly 300 individuals have been repatriated under MONUSCO supervision.
The effort is part of a broader peace deal signed by the governments of Rwanda and Congo in Washington last June, aimed at reducing violence in eastern Congo by addressing armed groups operating in the region. MONUSCO has also intensified outreach to encourage more FDLR members to lay down arms voluntarily.
Active in Masisi, Rutshuru, and Walikale, the FDLR has been present in eastern Congo for decades. Rwanda considers the group a terrorist organisation linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and has repeatedly stressed that demobilisation of its fighters is vital for national security.
Experts say the coordinated repatriation marks an important step toward stabilising eastern Congo while offering former fighters a chance to reintegrate into society. MONUSCO noted that continued cooperation between Rwanda and Congo will be critical to preventing renewed conflict in the region.
