claims from Kigali that its soldiers are not involved in the conflict there.
Multiple intelligence, military and diplomatic sources say that “very significant” numbers of soldiers from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) have died supporting an offensive by M23 rebels in DRC.
Satellite imagery of one military cemetery in the Rwandan capital of Kigali indicates at least 600 graves have been dug since the M23 – backed by RDF troops – restarted operations within DRC three years ago.
Two high-ranking intelligence officials with knowledge of the RDF say the true losses sustained by Rwanda probably run into the “thousands”, but pinning down a definitive figure is challenging.
Another senior source says a number of dead Rwandan troops were secretly buried in “mass graves” in DRC when it was impossible to return their bodies across the border.
They say that families were given empty coffins when corpses could not be returned. “Not all soldiers that perished in DRC were able to be repatriated, especially in areas under a lot of fire. Some were buried in mass graves,” they
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/feb/07/democratic-republic-congo-drc-paul-kagame-m23-rebels-goma-rwanda-troops-dying-denials
Topic: Rwandan troops ‘dying in large numbers in DRC’, despite official denials of role (Read 426 times)