In a significant shift following the capture of Goma by the M23 rebel group, more than 280 Romanian mercenaries from the RALF Association have crossed into Rwanda. These fighters, who had been supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) army, the FARDC, against M23 since 2022, were forced to retreat after the rebels took control of the city.
The RALF mercenaries, alongside other forces, had been engaged in battles to curb the advance of M23 in the volatile North Kivu region. However, after Goma fell to M23, these mercenaries surrendered to the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, seeking safe passage out of the conflict zone.
Over 200 European mercenaries who supported the #DRCongo in fighting #M23 rebels have arrived in Rwanda.
They are set to depart from #Kigali International Airport to return to their home countries. pic.twitter.com/vOujDwaJ0Q
— KIGALI DAILY NEWS (@kigalidailynews) January 29, 2025
On this Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Rwanda granted passage to these 280 individuals, adding to the nearly 2,000 foreign workers who have recently crossed into the country from Goma. This humanitarian gesture by Rwanda also extended to around 40 World Bank employees who entered the country from Goma on the same day.
In Goma, before the conflict escalated, there were roughly 800 RALF mercenaries from Romania, tasked with safeguarding both Goma and the strategically important city of Sake. These fighters were under the leadership of Horațiu Potra, a Romanian national who has since been detained by authorities in both the DRC and Romania, signaling a complex international dimension to the conflict.
Additionally, the situation in Goma involved mercenaries from other countries, including 20 from the Bulgarian group Agemira, highlighting the diverse foreign involvement in the ongoing conflict.
This movement of personnel underscores the volatile security situation in eastern DRC, where local conflicts often draw in international actors, both state and non-state. Rwanda’s role in providing refuge and passage to these individuals reflects its position in regional politics and its commitment to humanitarian response amidst regional instability.
