A report by the UN group of experts, published on Wednesday July 2, reveals the presence of at least 6,000 Rwandan soldiers engaged alongside the AFC/m23 in the military operations carried out in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This document specifies that these Rwandan soldiers strengthen rebellion in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. He also indicates that special forces were deployed between January and May 2025 in these two provinces to support AFC/m23, especially during offensives on Goma and Bukavu.
After taking Goma, part of the troops returned to Rwanda, while the other was redeployed in Bukavu to carry out discreet operations, according to this UN report.
Among the officials cited are James Kabarebe, Rwandan Minister for Regional Cooperation and former Chief of Staff of the Army, General Vincent Nyakarundi, Chief of Staff of the Rwandan Defense Forces (DRF), as well as General Patrick Karuretwa, President of the Rwanda Military Court.
The RDFs would have established a headquarters in Gisenyi, a border town in Goma, the objective of which would not be the neutralization of the FDLR, but rather the conquest of territories. This strategy would have enabled AFC/m23 to strengthen and Rwanda to access mining resources, agricultural land and increase its political influence in the DRC.
This report also mentions a vast recruitment made by AFC/M23, including former FARDC soldiers, Wazalendo fighters, former Rwandan soldiers and members of the diaspora, enlisted voluntarily or under duress.
According to experts, these actions could expose Rwanda to new international sanctions for violation of Congolese sovereignty. This report occurs less than a week after signing a peace agreement between Kinshasa and Kigali.
