Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, has criticized the current government’s collaboration with the FDLR rebel group, emphasizing its detrimental impact on regional security.
The Tshisekedi administration has reportedly enlisted the FDLR, a group largely composed of individuals involved in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, to combat the M23 rebel group, which is in conflict with Kinshasa.
An agreement between the DRC government and the FDLR allegedly included plans to, after defeating M23, advance into Rwanda to overthrow President Paul Kagame’s administration.
President Tshisekedi has publicly expressed intentions to confront Rwanda militarily, referring to Kagame’s government as an adversary.
Rwanda has consistently highlighted the DRC’s cooperation with the FDLR as a primary cause of the persistent insecurity in eastern Congo, a situation that has lasted for three decades.
In response, Rwanda has implemented “defensive measures” to safeguard its national security against potential threats from the DRC-FDLR alliance.
In a recent address to the Congolese people, Joseph Kabila, returning from years in exile, condemned Tshisekedi’s actions, stating that aligning with the FDLR undermines regional peace initiatives.
Kabila emphasized that the DRC’s military is capable and does not require assistance from groups like the FDLR, attributing any current weaknesses to poor leadership.
