TUESDAY, 29TH, KIGALI – At least 288 Romanian mercenaries fighting for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government were captured by M23 rebels in Goma, following the city’s fall earlier this week. According to an M23 official, the fighters were later transferred to Rwanda, where they are now being processed for repatriation to Romania.
This significant development raises further concerns about the DRC government’s reliance on foreign contractors in its military strategy. The capture of these personnel also underscores the growing instability within the DRC’s armed forces (FARDC), as M23 continues to make strategic advances in the North Kivu region.
The mercenaries were detained by M23 forces after the Congolese military suffered a major defeat and retreated from Goma, a key city in the province. After their capture, the Romanian fighters were handed over to Rwandan authorities, who are now facilitating their return to Romania.
It is believed that approximately 800 Romanian mercenaries remain active in the DRC, raising concerns that more surrenders could follow as M23 consolidates its control in the region. This situation casts doubt on the effectiveness of foreign military contractors in bolstering the FARDC’s ability to counter M23 and other armed groups operating in eastern Congo.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has repeatedly criticized the DRC’s reliance on foreign fighters, calling them ineffective and unreliable. He has argued that the Congolese government’s dependence on mercenaries is a poor substitute for investing in the development and strengthening of its own military forces.
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The DRC government, however, has defended its use of foreign contractors, stating that the Romanian personnel are not mercenaries but rather defense advisors and trainers hired to assist the FARDC in combating M23 and other militant groups.
The capture and repatriation of the Romanian fighters represent a significant setback for the DRC government. This development follows the fall of Goma, a major military and logistical hub in eastern DRC, the killing of North Kivu’s FARDC commander, Gen. Peter Cirimani, and the retreat of Congolese forces into Bukavu and Rwanda. These events further undermine confidence in the FARDC’s ability to effectively counter M23 and protect the region from further insurgent advances.
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