The M23 rebel group has handed over ‘Gen’ Ezechiel Gakwerere, a high-ranking commander of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), along with 14 captured fighters, to Rwandan authorities. The transfer took place on March 1, 2025, at the La Corniche One Stop Border Post in Rubavu District.
FDLR, a militia operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is largely composed of remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The group has long been regarded as a direct security threat to Rwanda. The captured fighters, who were detained by AFC/M23 rebels during combat against a coalition of Congolese armed forces and allied militias, were initially screened in Goma, North Kivu Province before their handover.
Since January 2025, the Congolese military, known as the FARDC, has suffered heavy losses in its ongoing conflict with M23 rebels. The FARDC coalition consists of:European mercenaries,FDLR fighters,Ethnic militias known as Wazalendo,Burundian troops and South African-led SADC for United Nations peacekeeping forces.
Despite multiple international resolutions, the Congolese government continues to maintain ties with FDLR, providing them with military support.
On February 21, 2025, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution condemning Kinshasa’s continued backing of FDLR. Speaking on the matter, Ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo, Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the UN, emphasized the need for the international community to address the root causes of instability in eastern DRC.
“A lasting solution to this conflict must prioritize Rwanda’s security concerns. The presence of FDLR and its splinter groups remains a serious threat that cannot be ignored,” Rwamucyo stated.
He further called for accountability from the Congolese government, accusing it of integrating FDLR fighters into its national army and supplying them with advanced weaponry.
FDLR was established by former members of the ex-FAR (Forces Armées Rwandaises) and Interahamwe militia, who were responsible for orchestrating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. After being defeated by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) in July 1994, these forces fled to eastern DRC then known as Zaire where they later regrouped under various names.
In 2000, after being designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the group rebranded as FDLR to distance itself from its past atrocities. However, its ultimate objective remains unchanged to destabilize Rwanda and attempt a forceful return through armed conflict.
The latest capture and extradition of FDLR fighters signal ongoing efforts by M23 to neutralize the group, while Rwanda continues to push for stronger international action against its activities in eastern DRC.
