DR Congo: Safe transit to Rwanda for 2,000 UN employees and humanitarians

Nearly 2,000 individuals, the majority of whom worked for the UN in Goma, the eastern DR Congo city that was overrun by M23 rebels, were met by Rwandan authorities on Monday, January 27.

Before being taken to Kigali, they were welcomed at the western Rwandan border region of Rubavu.

Following increased violence between the AFC/M23 rebels and the Congolese government forces (FARDC), which has compelled hundreds of Congolese nationals to evacuate for their safety, the first group was greeted on Monday morning.

The leadership of MONUSCO, the UN mission in DR Congo, and especially the foreign personnel, who left the nation as the rebels surged along the border, are among the group that was greeted in Rwanda, according to authorities.

The party was taken by bus from Rubavu to Kigali Pele Stadium, where they underwent processing and screening.

Officials stated that the United Nations was arranging planes to Kinshasa via Entebbe as part of an exercise to negotiate hotel rooms for the delegation.

Since 2021, a government alliance and the M23 have been engaged in combat.

The government army alliance consists of South Africa-led SADC soldiers, 1,600 European mercenaries, 10,000 Burundian military, and the homicidal FDLR militia.

After the rebels took control of further territory last week, killed Peter Cirimwami, the military governor of North Kivu, and threatened to march on Goma, the battle intensified.

Since then, the government coalition has seen more casualties, such as the passing of troops from the UN mission and the South Africa-led SADC operation, as well as the death of FDLR top leader “Maj Gen” Pacifique Ntawunguka, also known as Omega.

The towns of Masisi in North Kivu and Minova in South Kivu were taken over by the M23 in recent weeks.

The Congolese government has rejected any chance of holding peace negotiations with the rebels, labeling them a terrorist outfit, while the rebels insist on having direct discussions with them. The Congolese government is seeking a military option after regional efforts to settle the conflict democratically failed.

The Rwandan government voiced worries on Sunday on claims made by several parties regarding the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned that “misguided or manipulative statements do not provide any solutions.”

“Continuous violations of the ceasefire by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) in collaboration with the UN-sanctioned genocidal militia FDLR, European mercenaries, ethnic militias (Wazalendo), Burundian armed forces, SAMIDRC forces, and MONUSCO troops were the catalyst for the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, especially the recent heavy fighting around Goma.”

Rwanda’s security and territorial integrity are still seriously threatened by the violence along the country’s border, which calls for a constant defensive stance, the ministry stated.