DR Congo to Disarm Militia Affiliated with Rwandan Genocide of 1994

Congo has initiated a disarmament campaign targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a militia tied to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, marking a critical step in implementing a fragile U.S.-brokered peace framework with Rwanda.

The Congolese armed forces (FARDC) confirmed preparations for operations against the FDLR, with Deputy Chief ​of Staff of FARDC Lieutenant General Nduru Jacques Ychaligonza dispatched to Kisangani to oversee the effort.

The move comes two weeks after Congolese and Rwandan officials met in Washington to revive a June peace agreement.

Ychaligonza outlined a phased approach beginning with voluntary surrender. “They must hand over their weapons, willingly or by force,” he said, adding, “We do not need bloodshed.” Authorities have established a reception site in Kisangani for fighters who surrender, with plans to eventually repatriate them to Rwanda.

The FDLR, composed partly of remnants of Rwanda’s former army and militias responsible for the 1994 genocide, has long been a central grievance for Kigali.

The latest move follows U.S. sanctions imposed weeks earlier on Rwanda’s defense forces over alleged backing of the M23 rebel group. The June agreement requires Congo to dismantle the FDLR while Rwanda commits to disengaging forces.

Despite these commitments, fighting has continued across eastern Congo, highlighting gaps in implementation.

The announcement coincides with reported withdrawals by M23 fighters from at least a dozen villages in North Kivu’s Lubero territory in recent days, according to provincial authorities. However, an M23 spokesperson described the movements as routine troop rotations.

Rwanda has repeatedly accused Congo of collaborating with the FDLR, while Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting M23, which controls significant territory following a rapid advance last year.

The disarmament push therefore sits at the center of a broader security trade-off, where progress on one armed group is closely tied to expectations of disengagement by another.