In a report issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2025, the United Nations Group of Experts confirmed the continued deployment of the Rwandan Defense Forces within the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in support of the MDC-M23 coalition.
The report, submitted to the UN Security Council, explained that the experts reached these conclusions based on consistent evidence that included testimonies from members of the coalition, including a high-ranking commander, as well as information from intelligence sources, diplomats, and regional security services.
The report indicated that conservative estimates indicate that there are between 6,000 and 7,000 Rwandan soldiers currently deployed in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the document, these forces include at least two military brigades and two battalions of special forces, organized according to specific tasks and consisting of units specially mobilized to carry out cross-border military operations within the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including elements of special forces and reserve forces. This report comes in At a time when the region is witnessing an escalation in security tensions, amid increasing international demands to stop foreign interference and respect the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
