The Governments of Belgium and the United States have expressed satisfaction with the announcement made by the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC), calling on fighters of the FDLR rebel group to lay down their weapons and surrender to Congolese authorities or MONUSCO forces.
This came after the FARDC, on Saturday, October 11, 2025, released a statement urging members of the FDLR, a terrorist group to disarm.
The statement says the decision is based on the agreements reached “on October 1, 2025, by the Joint Monitoring Commission for the Peace Accords signed in Washington between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, under the mediation of the United States.”
The announcement, signed by FARDC spokesperson Maj Gen Ekenge Bomusa Efomi Sylvain, states that one the FDLR fighters disarm, they must “immediately surrender to the Congolese authorities or MONUSCO, so that they can be repatriated to their country of origin, Rwanda.”
FARDC also calls on all civilians who have ties to the FDLR to dissociate themselves from the group and encourage its members to surrender to the Congolese government without resistance.
Following this declaration, Massad Boulos, the Senior Advisor to the US President on African Affairs, said his country welcomed the announcement.
In a message posted on X, Massad said: “We welcome the DRC’s call for all FDLR factions to disarm and surrender the Washington Peace Agreement, reinforced by the October 1 operational order. The decisive step advances the implementation of the Washington Peace Agreement, facilitating repatriation, restoring state authority, and strengthening stability across the Great Lakes region.
After the FARDC statement, Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Prévot, also said his country gladly welcome the decision.
He stated: “The prohibition of any collaboration between the FARDC and the FDLR, along with the imposition of severe sanctions incase of violations, is equally crucial. It is now essential that this unequivocal decision be translated into concrete actions on the ground and that all parties fully contribute to the objectives of the Washington Peace Agreement.”
The FARDC announcement came shortly after President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC made carefully worded remarks in Brussels, Belgium, claiming that he has never refused to follow peaceful avenues and dialogue.
Political analysts say the FARDC statement urging the FDLR to surrender is aligned with Tshisekedi’s pretense to appear consistent with his recent declarations. They argue this is because it has long been difficult to distinguish between the FDLR and FARDC, as the two have become closely intertwined.
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