Before crossing into Rwanda, the ex-combatants were temporarily accommodated under the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), through its program for the disarmament and reintegration of former fighters.
The group entered Rwanda through Rubavu District on January 27, 2026. The former fighters are expected to be transferred to the Mutobo Demobilization Center in Musanze District, which is run by the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC).
Earlier, on January 20, Rwanda received another group of 13 former FDLR fighters accompanied by six family members. This came just three days after the return of 14 Rwandans, including eight fighters from a special unit of the group known as CRAP.
According to MONUSCO, the number of FDLR fighters returning home has increased since the AFC/M23 coalition took control of Goma in January 2025. Nearly 300 fighters have been repatriated so far.
Returns are continuing in small groups as Rwanda awaits the implementation of operations by the Congolese armed forces to dismantle the FDLR, as stipulated in the peace agreement signed in Washington, D.C. on June 27, 2025.
As of June 2025, the FDLR was estimated to have between 7,000 and 10,000 fighters, most of whom—including senior leaders—were based in the Walikale and Masisi territories of North Kivu Province.
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