DR Congo Launches Disarmament Offensive Against FDLR Militia Amid Fragile Rwanda Peace Deal

DR Congo’s army has launched a disarmament campaign against the FDLR militia as part of efforts to implement a US-brokered peace deal with Rwanda. While authorities aim for a peaceful surrender, tensions remain high as fighting continues and mutual accusations between both countries persist.

The army of the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced the launch of a disarmament campaign targeting a militia linked to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, marking a significant step toward implementing a United States-brokered peace agreement with neighbouring Rwanda.
The move focuses on disarming the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), coming two weeks after officials from both countries met in Washington to discuss steps to revive the peace deal signed last June.
The FDLR, an armed group based in eastern DR Congo, includes remnants of Rwanda’s former army and militias responsible for the 1994 genocide. Rwanda has consistently insisted that DR Congo must neutralise the group as a prerequisite for achieving lasting peace in the region.
Lieutenant General Nduru Jacques Ychaligonza, deputy chief of staff of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), said on Sunday that he had been deployed to the northeastern city of Kisangani to begin preparations for operations against the FDLR. He stressed that the militia members would be required to surrender their weapons, either voluntarily or by force, though he emphasized that the initial phase would prioritise peaceful disarmament to avoid bloodshed.
According to Ychaligonza, a reception centre has already been established in Kisangani to accommodate fighters who lay down their arms, with plans to eventually repatriate them to Rwanda.
Tensions between the two countries have long persisted, with Rwanda accusing DR Congo of collaborating with the FDLR, while DR Congo has alleged that Rwanda supports the M23 rebel group. The M23 currently controls large areas in eastern DR Congo following a rapid advance last year, an allegation Rwanda continues to deny.
Meanwhile, M23 fighters have reportedly withdrawn from at least a dozen villages in the Lubero territory of North Kivu province in recent days, according to the governor appointed by Kinshasa. However, a spokesperson for the rebel group described the movements as routine troop rotations in a statement posted on X.
Although DR Congo and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington last June—under which DR Congo committed to dismantle the FDLR and Rwanda agreed to disengage its forces—fighting has continued across multiple fronts, underscoring the fragility of the deal.