Why former FDLR fighters are returning to Rwanda

Published On 21 Oct 202621 Oct 2026.

What happened

Musanze, Rwanda – Jean Claude Hategekimana feared that returning to Rwanda could cost him his life. After years with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), he decided to leave the armed group and return home. At Rwanda's Mutobo Demobilisation and Reintegration Centre, he began preparing for civilian life.

Born in 1996 in Rutsiro District, in western Rwanda, Hategekimana moved to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with his parents and grew up in an area controlled by the FDLR. He joined the group in 2018, underwent military training and eventually reached the rank of captain.

The bottom line

For now, why former FDLR fighters are returning to Rwanda remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.