Rwanda repatriates 39 Congolese who falsely identified themselves as former FDLR combatants

In a statement issued on July 29, 2026, RDRC said the repatriation ‘took place in the presence of media and MONUSCO officials following a comprehensive verification process which established that the individuals did not meet the eligibility requirements for Rwanda’s demobilisation and reintegration programme’.

The commission further reaffirmed its commitment to a rigorous verification process in line with established procedures, regional frameworks, as well as collaboration with regional and international partners to promote accountability, regional cooperation, and lasting peace.

Also on July 29, 2026, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka alleged that the DRC government is recruiting civilians and encouraging them to falsely present themselves as former FDLR combatants in exchange for money.

Kanyuka claimed that after being promised payment, the Congolese nationals are enrolled in the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme, which is overseen and implemented by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).

According to AFC/M23, the alleged scheme is intended to conceal the presence of genuine FDLR fighters, a terrorist group that the DRC committed to dismantling under the peace agreement signed with Rwanda last year through mediation by the United States.

Kanyuka further accused the DRC government of continuing to integrate FDLR members into the country’s security institutions, alleging that some have been incorporated into the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Wazalendo militia.

“Kinshasa uses the FDLR as a central component of its security apparatus. Members of this group have been integrated into FARDC, the Wazalendo militia and other state security institutions,” Kanyuka alleged.

He further claimed that some FDLR members are serving in the Republican Guard (GR), the elite unit responsible for protecting senior government officials and other high-profile figures.

AFC/M23 called for an end to what it described as the recruitment of civilians to falsely identify themselves as former FDLR combatants, arguing that the practice is intended to mislead the Congolese public and the international community.