Armed FDLR combatants stand guard in Buleusa, Walikale Territory in North Kivu
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is working to finalise a military operations plan to neutralise the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a commitment under the Washington Accords.
The development follows a three-day meeting of military planners from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, held from October 20 to 22 in Garmisch, Germany, under the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM).
According to the United States State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, the delegations worked to finalise a draft Operations Order for approval, following a commitment made at the mechanism’s sixth meeting in August.
The proposed order will guide the Congolese government’s efforts to neutralise the FDLR and Rwanda’s lifting of defensive measures.
The meeting was convened by the United States, with the African Union, Qatar and American government agencies also participating.
The State Department welcomed what it described as constructive engagement by both delegations as they work towards implementing the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity.
However, the statement did not provide a deadline for the DRC to neutralise the FDLR or confirm that the draft operations order had received final approval.
The neutralisation of the FDLR remains a central security obligation under the agreement, alongside Rwanda’s commitment to lift defensive measures.
The latest meeting represents another step towards translating the two countries’ commitments into a coordinated military plan, although implementation of the proposed measures remains to be confirmed.
