After the landmark peace agreement signed between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, sources have told Kivu Today that elements of the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) are now fleeing across the border into Burundi.
The development comes less than 48 hours after the deal was brokered in Washington, D.C., under the mediation of the U.S. State Department and supported by regional and international actors.
The agreement aims to end years of cross-border hostilities, with a strong focus on disarming and dismantling armed groups operating in eastern Congo.
Security analysts say the FDLR, a Rwandan rebel group long entrenched in the eastern DRC, sees the agreement as a threat to its survival, fearing coordinated military operations or forced disarmament under the new regional consensus.
“It’s a sign that the agreement is already changing the ground reality,” said a source in Goma close to FARDC. “The FDLR is on the run.”
Burundi has not officially commented on the reported influx, but regional observers warn that the movement of armed groups across borders could complicate efforts to stabilize the Great Lakes region.
As implementation of the peace deal begins, all eyes are now on how the DRC, Rwanda, and neighboring states will manage the fallout — especially the containment of fleeing militants and the prevention of a new cycle of instability.