War in Eastern Congo : Congolese refugees continue to flee to Rwanda, whose residents are also moving

Rwanda had more than 1,200 new Congolese refugees until Tuesday, from the city of Goma, capital of North Kivu in eastern Congo, which was taken over by M23 rebels earlier this week. Among them are Congolese soldiers and militiamen.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Rwanda was sheltering until Tuesday, at least 1,200 new Congolese refugees including FARDC soldiers (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and militiamen maintained by Congolese authorities, announced Tuesday Philippe Habincuti, permanent secretary at the Rwandan ministry in charge of refugees and disaster management. Along with other officials, Mr. Habincuti went to the border with Congo to present the situation to the press.

Rwandan authorities have set up two sites that welcome new Congolese refugees. Soldiers and members of local militias maintained by Congolese authorities are installed in a youth center in the city of Gisenyi, on the border with Goma.

“They are fed and receive medical care for those who need it,” said a local journalist.

As for civilians, they were directed to a site that receives victims of natural disasters. It is also in the locality of Rugerero in Gisenyi.

In the meantime, 47 drivers of World Food Program (WFP) trucks were also able to cross the border with Rwanda. They had just spent between three weeks and a month on the Congolese territory, stuck in combat zones.

Tense situation

The situation remains tense in the province of Western Rwanda where at least five civilians were killed in the explosion of shells launched by the Congolese army and the Hutu-FDLR genocidaires on Monday, according to the Rwandan army.

“Several families have fled. They are sheltered in the temporary camp of Kijote in Nyabihu (not far from Gisenyi). Several other residents have been received by families in the capital Kigali or in the city of Musanze”, learned SOS Médias Burundi.

A Rwandan police truck takes Congolese refugees to the Rugerero site, January 2025 (SOS Médias Burundi)

“Traffic remains timid, many businesses remain closed and the price of transport tickets has increased.

For example, the price of the Gisenyi-Musanze ticket (one and a half hours) is 2500 Rwanda francs whereas before the outbreak of this situation, we paid 2000 francs”, testified a resident of Gisenyi.

According to local sources, security has been reinforced in the Rubavu district, bordering Congo.

“Several soldiers and police officers including special force agents are visible and patrol day and night everywhere. They are very vigilant,” say witnesses.

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Congolese refugees composed of several women and children received in the Rubavu district, in the western province of Rwanda, January 2025 (SOS Médias Burundi)