DR Congo demands Rwanda withdraw its troops — The Rio Times
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, at a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, United States, called on Rwanda to provide a concrete, parallel and verifiable response to Kinshasa’s steps against the FDLR group. As The Rio Times reports, the Congolese side insists on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops and an end to support for the M23 rebel movement in accordance with the Washington Accords.
DR Congo’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Zenon Mukongo Ngay, stated that the country is carrying out the disarmament, placement in designated locations and repatriation of fighters from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). According to him, these actions must not be a precondition for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces or the end of support for M23.
The US position in the Security Council
US Representative for UN Management and Reform Jeffrey Bartos said at the same meeting that progress in neutralizing the FDLR must be accompanied by Rwanda fulfilling its obligations. He called on Kigali to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops and military equipment from DR Congo, as well as end support for M23.
At the same time, Bartos said that any cooperation between the FDLR and elements of the Congolese army must cease. He also called on Kinshasa to set out a new demobilization plan in detail. The American diplomat positively assessed the repatriation, with the support of the UN mission MONUSCO, of more than 120 former FDLR fighters and their family members.
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Differences and fighting in the east of the country
Rwanda interprets the provisions of the Washington Accords differently. In a letter to the UN Security Council dated September 29, Kigali described the protocol signed by Kinshasa with FDLR representatives as an attempt to delay the process, since the accords provide for the neutralization of the group rather than negotiations with it. Rwandan President Paul Kagame had previously stated that the country’s defensive measures would remain in force until threats associated with the FDLR are eliminated.
The discussion is taking place amid hostilities in North Kivu province. On October 18, 2026, reports emerged of a third day of fighting in the Kibati area in Walikale territory between rebels, the Congolese army and allied formations. A regional ministerial meeting in Lusaka was scheduled for October 19.
The Washington Accords were signed by DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame on December 4, 2025, at a ceremony organized by US President Donald Trump. UN Security Council Resolution 2773, adopted in February 2025, mentioned the direct support and involvement of the Rwanda Defence Force in the M23 movement’s capture of the cities of Goma and Bukavu.
