Rwanda welcomes death of rebel leader in eastern DR Congo
Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - Rwandan minister of State in charge of the East African Community, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has stated that the death of a senior commander of the rebel Hutu Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is proof of the political will of Kinshasa to neutralise the genocide armed group in the region.
The reaction comes after the DR Congo army confirmed on Wednesday that Lieutenant-General Sylvestre Mudacumura has been killed along with several other soldiers in a military operation carried out in North Kivu province.
DR Congo's army spokesperson Richard Kasonga confirmed that the rebel leader was killed in fighting in eastern Rutshuru territory.
"It is good news that Mudacumura was killed ... It is an important step forward in the fight against terrorists and other genocide forces in the region," Nduhungirehe said.
Lt. Gen. Mudacumura, 64, was deputy commander of the Rwandan presidential guard during the 1994 genocide, before fleeing to DR Congo with other senior security officials in July 1994.
The FDLR, which was formerly known as the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (ALIR), is made up primarily of individuals responsible for the genocide who fled Rwanda including members of the defeated ex-Rwanda Armed Forces and other militias.
In 2012, the Pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Lt. Gen. Mudacumura.
The rebel leader, who was born in Rwanda, is suspected of committing war crimes from 20 January 2009 to the end of September 2010, during the conflict in the Kivus, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Basing its decision on evidence presented by the Prosecutor, the ICC trial chamber considered that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Lt. Gen. Mudacumura was responsible for nine counts of war crimes, consisting of attacking civilians, murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, rape, torture, destruction of property, pillaging and outrage against personal dignity.
The killing on Rwandan rebel leader comes after DR Congo president Felix Tshisekedi asked last month for the support of countries of the region to eradicate the armed groups.
Speaking at the 39th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, he said the eastern part of DR Congo was plagued by persistent insecurity caused by internal and external armed groups.
"I propose to create, like the world coalition against terrorism, a regional coalition to eradicate this scourge," President Tshisekedi said.
-0- PANA TWA/MA 19Sept2019
