Back Home After Years in Captivity: 326 Citizens Freed from FDLR-Controlled Areas

After years of living under the control of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 326 Rwandans mostly women and children have finally returned home to safety.

The group crossed into Rwanda on Thursday, October 30, 2025, through the La Corniche border post in Rubavu District. They were warmly received by local authorities before being taken to the Nyarushishi Transit Center in Rusizi District, where they will undergo reintegration procedures.

From Captivity to Freedom

For years, these Rwandans were among many who found themselves trapped in territories held by the FDLR, an armed group composed largely of remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In these areas, civilians are often held hostage, manipulated, or threatened to prevent them from returning to Rwanda.

According to officials, the returnees had recently been gathered in a temporary camp in Goma, North Kivu Province, as part of coordinated humanitarian efforts to evacuate civilians from zones affected by ongoing conflict. “These people have endured unimaginable hardship,” said Pacifique Ishimwe, the Deputy Mayor of Rubavu District in charge of Social Affairs. “Their return marks a new chapter of hope and dignity. Rwanda is ready to welcome and support them as they rebuild their lives.”

A Promise of a Fresh Start

At Nyarushishi Transit Center, the returnees will receive orientation, counseling, and health screening. They will later be reunited with their families or relocated to their former communities.

Under Rwanda’s national reintegration program, each adult returnee will receive $188, while minors will get $113. Every person is also entitled to basic food support worth RWF 45,000, along with identification documents, access to healthcare, and education opportunities.

Ishimwe assured them that the government had designed programs to ensure a smooth and dignified return to normal life. “You have come back to a country that values you,” he told the returnees. “You are not alone your nation stands with you. We encourage you to reach out to those still in Congo and tell them that Rwanda is a safe and welcoming home.”

A Broader Repatriation Effort

This repatriation is part of Rwanda’s ongoing national reintegration campaign, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Congolese authorities. The initiative seeks to bring home Rwandans who have been stranded in conflict zones or living under manipulation by armed groups in eastern DRC.

In recent years, thousands have been safely repatriated and integrated into Rwandan society, thanks to the government’s emphasis on reconciliation, unity, and national reconstruction.

Ending Decades of Displacement

The FDLR, active in eastern Congo for nearly three decades, remains one of the region’s most destabilizing forces. Beyond its political ambitions, the group has been implicated in atrocities including forced recruitment, extortion, and human rights abuses against civilians.

Rwanda’s proactive repatriation efforts aim not only to rescue citizens from these conditions but also to counter disinformation that portrays Rwanda as unsafe. “Every Rwandan deserves a chance to live in peace,” Ishimwe emphasized. “Our message to those still across the border is simple Rwanda is your home, and it is ready to welcome you back.”

Rebuilding Lives, Restoring Dignity

For the 326 men, women, and children who crossed the border this week, their return marks both an end and a beginning the end of years of fear and uncertainty, and the beginning of a new life in a country that continues to open its doors to all its people.

As they start this new chapter at Nyarushishi, their smiles and relief symbolize a larger national commitment a Rwanda that never forgets its citizens and never gives up on their return.