FDLR confirms capture of senior leader, DRC dismisses it as Rwandan propaganda
FDLR spokesperson 'Curé Ngoma' denied any formal alliance between the group and the Congolese military.
The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) has confirmed that Brigadier General Ezechiel Gakwerere, known by various aliases, is one of its senior leaders and was captured in Goma before being handed over to Rwandan authorities.
Over the weekend, the M23 movement, which controls Goma, transferred Gakwerere and 14 other alleged FDLR fighters to Rwandan officials.
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Speaking to the BBC, 'Curé Ngoma,' a spokesperson for the FDLR, acknowledged that Brig Gen Gakwerere, who was prominently displayed in the handover on Saturday, was indeed part of the senior leadership of the rebel group. He also provided details regarding Gakwerere’s capture.
A day early, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) refuted Rwanda’s claims regarding the arrest and repatriation of Gakwerere and 14 other alleged FDLR fighters, labelling it a “staged operation” intended to justify Kigali’s actions in eastern DRC.
“This action is a poorly executed fabrication aimed at discrediting our army and the SADC forces. This clearly aligns with Rwanda’s broader strategy to justify the invasion of part of the DRC’s territory,” said FARDC spokesperson, General-Major Ekenge Bomusa Efomi Sylvain, in an official statement on Saturday night.
FARDC also questioned the authenticity of the repatriation, highlighting discrepancies in the list of captured fighters.
“The fabrication is so poorly constructed that among the alleged FDLR members captured in the DRC is Patrick Ishimwe, who was already presented in Kigali’s Rwandan media on January 22, 2025,” FARDC stated. “Strangely, his name miraculously reappears on the list of alleged FDLR fighters repatriated to Rwanda this Saturday, under serial number 6.”
FARDC accused Rwanda of orchestrating the event, alleging that “Rwandan authorities, known for their deception and manipulation, took former FDLR prisoners from Gitarama Central Prison in Rwanda, dressed them in newly acquired FARDC military uniforms, and falsely presented them as FDLR fighters captured in Goma.”
The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has maintained that the captured FDLR fighters — including Gakwerere — were working in collaboration with FARDC, Wazalendo militias and SAMIDRC mercenaries.
The Rwandan government asserts that intelligence reports indicate some FDLR elements have fled to Walikale, Lubero, and Mwenga while others remain hidden in M23-controlled areas.
According to Kigali, FDLR’s collaboration with the Congolese military poses a direct threat to Rwanda’s security, prompting the country to take measures to protect its borders.
FDLR spokesperson 'Curé Ngoma' denied any formal alliance between the group and the Congolese military.
“What we have in common with the Congolese government is that we seem to have the same enemy from Rwanda who attacks us and Congo, but in actual fighting, we have no connection with the Congolese forces. We only fight when they come to our positions in self-defence,” Ngoma stated.
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