WESTERN PROVINCE

RUSIZI- About 290 Rwandans were over the weekend repatriated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through Rusizi 1 border.

According to Immigration officials at the Rwanda-DR Congo border, 192 of these were civilians who fled the country during the 1994 Genocide.

According Immigration officials, the returnees include twenty seven FDLR rebels.

Fifty one of them arrived at the border on Friday while two hundred and seven reached Rwanda on Saturday.

The returnees were being repatriated by UNHCR and officials from the Rwanda Demobilzation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC).

An official from RDRC who spoke on condition of anonymity told The New Times that the repatriated 27 FDLR combatants included a Lieutenant, three staff sergeants and two corporals.

The FDLR have been living in the areas of Masisi, Nkubbi, Walikale, and Kadutu in north Kivu.

Alfred Safi Uwitonze, the coordinator of Munyagatare Transit Refugee Camp, said the group currently at the camp would soon be taken to their former areas of residence.
     
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