Authorities in Rubavu District have confirmed that three armed men from neighbouring DR Congo surrendered and were taken into custody, in Busasamana Sector, on Tuesday, January 7. The Mayor of Rubavu District, Prosper Mulindwa, confirmed the development, emphasising that the armed men came willingly, and there was no confrontation with Rwandan security forces at the border. The armed men arrived at the border at around 7a.m in the morning, he said. ALSO READ: Governor Ntibitura cautions border community on genocide ideology According to him, the suspected militia fighters initially reported themselves to local authorities, who then alerted security organs since they were armed. The mayor said he was not able to confirm without doubt if the trio belong to FDLR, a UN-sanctioned militia linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Based in DR Congo, the genocidal militia continues to destabilize the region especially by spreading an anti-Tutsi genocide ideology. ALSO READ: Belgian lawyer on why genocide ideology doesn’t dissolve three decades after dispersion of genocidaires It's true but we don't have much detail yet about which armed group they were operating with, Mulindwa said. We received them in Busasamana Sector in military uniforms. All three were armed. They are young, likely between 19 and 27 years old. ALSO READ: Militia leader behind Kinigi terror attacks killed It's significant that they decided to return home safely without disrupting security. They are Rwandans, speaking Kinyarwanda. Eastern DR Congo hosts more than 200 armed groups, including FDLR. According to Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC), approximately 14,000 members of armed groups who voluntarily returned from DR Congo have been successfully reintegrated into society. As of now, the commission has reintegrated more than 83,000 people into their communities and provided them with support packages and tools to begin their new lives. ALSO: Ex-combatants get new houses According to the RDRC chairperson, Valerie Nyirahabineza, Rwanda continues to facilitate the reintegration of repatriated ex-combatants and their families as a key component of sustainable peace and security in the region.
