Destexhe\u2019s findings, which draw on firsthand testimonies, indicate that Tshisekedi\u2019s administration has provided the FDLR with arms, equipment, and funding, contributing to its expansion.<\/p>\n
According to the former lawmaker, while the FDLR operates highly organised autonomous units that are described as more disciplined than the FARDC, it is also fully integrated into the Congolese military\u2019s chain of command.<\/p>\n
Among the accounts shared with Destexhe was that of a young man, forcibly recruited by the FDLR at age 12, who served for six years. He disclosed that starting in 2022, he received a monthly salary of $120 through the FARDC, highlighting the extent of coordination between the two forces. <\/p>\n
Similarly, an FARDC captain responsible for securing the Rubaya mine described seamless collaboration, with joint operations, helicopter resupply missions, and shared command structures involving the FDLR, the Wazalendo militia, and the FARDC.<\/p>\n
Destexhe noted that, even more concerning, after 30 years of on-the-ground cooperation, many FDLR gunmen have been integrated into the FARDC, including in command positions, because they are often seen as “more capable officers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former senator questioned the international community\u2019s response, noting that despite the FDLR\u2019s designation as a terrorist group, global actors have yet to fully address the consequences of its integration into the FARDC.<\/p>\n
Destexhe warned that dismantling the FDLR is an immense challenge, especially since it sustains support networks in Europe through organisations that present themselves as human rights NGOs.<\/p>\n
\u201cEradicating the FDLR\u2019s influence would require a complete restructuring of the FARDC,\u201d he said, calling the task \u201cnear impossible\u201d without comprehensive reforms.<\/p>\n
The FDLR has been accused of spreading genocidal ideology and targeting Kinyarwanda-speaking communities in eastern DRC, where hundreds of thousands have been displaced, with many seeking refuge in Rwanda.<\/p>\n
The group has been collaborating with other militia groups and the Congolese forces to fight the M23 group, whose members have taken up arms to protest what they describe as poor governance, marginalisation, and decades of persecution.<\/p>\n
\nRwanda – RDC : Les FDLR sont compl\u00e8tement int\u00e9gr\u00e9s dans les FARDC – ENGLISH BELOW<\/p>\n
Au cours de mon s\u00e9jour au Kivu, j'ai recueilli plusieurs t\u00e9moignages sur les FDLR. Selon mes sources, leur effectif aurait doubl\u00e9 depuis qu\u2019ils sont arm\u00e9s, \u00e9quip\u00e9s et financ\u00e9s par F\u00e9lix Tshisekedi,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/5ZeTwPbUGI<\/a><\/p>\n