Alleged Congolese M23 rebels flee to Rwanda

Scores of alleged M23 rebels fled to Rwanda on Sunday evening through Rwanda's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda's ministry of defense said Monday.

The ministry said in a statement that a group of 30 unarmed people claiming to be M23 combatants crossed into its territory in the border's Bugeshi sector, Rubavu district.

"The individuals are said to have fled from combat action by DRC Armed Forces (FARDC). They have been registered in Rwanda and those in need of medical attention have been received by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in accordance with international humanitarian law," said Rene Ngendahimana, Rwanda's defense spokesperson.

M23 used to be the most prominent rebel group operating in eastern Congo before it was repulsed by UN forces fighting with the Congolese national army.

In 2012, more than 25,000 Congolese refugees entered Rwanda as a result of resurgence of conflict in eastern DRC.

Close to 18,000 live in the Kigeme refugee camp in southern Rwanda and another 7,766 are housed at the Nkamira transit camp in Rubavu.

In 2013, over 1,000 rebels fled to Rwanda and Uganda before their leaders signed a peace agreement with DRC government.

Under that agreement, the rebels who fled to neighboring countries were to be repatriated back to Congo within a year. That has proved difficult due to questions over an amnesty.

The M23 rebels want a blanket amnesty but the DRC government insists some must be tried for crimes committed in eastern Congo.

The crisis in the DRC escalated in April 2009 following mutiny by a group of soldiers of the Congolese army claiming the Congolese government had violated a 2009 peace agreement.

They formed the M23 rebel group, which is mainly made up of soldiers from a now-defunct National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). Endit