The Congolese military has pledged to apprehend and penalize any soldiers found associating with the FDLR militia, emphasizing a policy of “zero tolerance” towards misconduct, irrespective of their position or rank.
The FDLR traces its origins to Rwandan Hutu extremist factions that sought refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo following their involvement in the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda.
Frequent accusations suggest that the DRC collaborates with the primarily Hutu FDLR in its conflict against the Tutsi-led M23 rebels in the volatile eastern region of Congo.
In a video declaration on Monday evening, Sylvain Ekenge, the spokesperson for the Congolese army, emphasized that all soldiers, irrespective of their rank, are unequivocally prohibited from establishing any form of contact with the FDLR.
“Any person contravening this instruction will be placed under arrest and will suffer the rigour of the law,” he said, adding that there would be “zero tolerance”.
Independent UN experts have reported collaboration between Congolese soldiers and FDLR fighters in opposition to the M23 group.
Since initiating an offensive in late 2021, the Tutsi-led group known as the M23 has captured extensive areas of eastern DRC, resulting in the displacement of over one million individuals from their residences.
UN experts and various Western countries, including the United States and France, assert that Rwanda provides support to the M23 group.
The M23 and the Rwandan government frequently allege that the DRC collaborates with the FDLR.
An AFP team observed Congolese soldiers collaborating with FDLR fighters in late October in the town of Bambo in North Kivu province while the M23 was making advances.
The recent directive from the Congolese army, prohibiting collaboration with the FDLR, coincides with a visit to both the DRC and Rwanda by Avril Haines, the Chief of US intelligence.
The White House said on Tuesday that she had secured promises from leaders of both countries to de-escalate tensions.
