Thousands of people, alleged by rebels to be Rwandan nationals living illegally in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), have been expelled from the key eastern city of Goma by the M23 rebel group.
On Monday, an M23 spokesperson, Willy Ngoma, presented 181 individuals, claiming they were Rwandan citizens residing unlawfully in Goma. Accompanying them were thousands of women and children, believed to be their family members.
Witnesses reported that the expelled individuals were transported in trucks, and documents issued by Congolese authorities were burned, with the M23 asserting these documents were fraudulent.
Many of the families are reportedly from the Karenga region in North Kivu province, an area previously under the control of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Both Rwanda and the M23 accuse the Congolese government of supporting the FDLR, a group also implicated in numerous atrocities in the region. Sources indicate that a significant number of the families had been living in a displacement camp in Sake, located a short distance from Goma.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that around 360 people were repatriated into Rwanda on Saturday, according to spokesperson Eujin Byun.
Eastern DR Congo, rich in minerals, has endured decades of conflict involving government forces and various armed groups, including the M23, which is backed by neighbouring Rwanda. The recent resurgence of the M23 has intensified the ongoing conflict and exacerbated an already severe humanitarian crisis in the region.
According to United Nations experts, the M23 rebels are supported by approximately 4,000 troops from Rwanda.
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