WESTERN PROVINCE

RUSIZI — An additional 64 Rwandans were over the weekend repatriated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through the Rusizi 1 border.

Immigration officials at the border told The New Times that the group includes those who fled the country during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis.

Among those repatriated, 56 of them were civilians whereas 8 of them were rebels of  the Forces for the Democratic Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).  

According to immigration authorities, the civilians were repatriated by UNHCR on Saturday while the 8 FDLR combatants including a Lieutenant were repatriated by MONUC officials from the DRC on Sunday morning.

Both the civilians and the rebels have been living in the areas of Masisi, Mwenga and Walikale in North Kivu in the DRC.

"I am so happy to return back to my motherland and I thank our government and MONUC to have enabled us as FDLR rebels who are here today to get repatriated,” said Lieutenant David Karoli who were among the repatriated FDLR combatants.

The civilians were taken to Nyagatare refugee transit camp in Gihudwe sector, Rusizi district and the combatants were transferred  to Ntendezi transit camp from where they  will be moved to their former residential areas, according to Alfred Safi Uwitonze, the Coordinator of Nyagatare Camp.

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