By KT Reporter
The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) has called upon members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) to lay down their arms and surrender peacefully. In a statement released on Saturday by FARDC Spokesperson, Major General Sylvain Ekenge Bemusa Efomi, the FDLR rebels were urged to surrender to Congolese authorities or report to the nearest bases of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
The statement noted that the call for surrender aims at facilitating the repatriation of the combatants to their country of origin, Rwanda. According to FARDC, the decision follows the implementation of an operational order adopted on October 1, 2025, by the Joint Supervisory Committee of the Washington Agreement — a peace deal signed between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Rwanda under the mediation of the United States of America.
FARDC urged FDLR fighters to support the ongoing peace process and surrender without violence or bloodshed. The statement warned that, in the event of resistance or refusal to comply, the FDLR would be disarmed through coercive means or the use of force. The Washington Agreement emphasizes respect for territorial integrity, cessation of hostilities in eastern DRC, and the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory. It also calls for the complete severance of ties between FARDC and FDLR forces.
Relations between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have deteriorated over the M23 rebel insurgency. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing the M23 rebels, who currently control several areas in North and South Kivu provinces — allegations Rwanda strongly denies.
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