Written question asked by Brooks Newmark (Conservative) on Friday, 6 March 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 11 March 2009. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 March 2009 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Conflict

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of allegations of the activities of Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda rebels in villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Answer: We are encouraged by the success of the recent joint military operations conducted by the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda against the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) militia. The numbers of rebel fighters leaving the FDLR have increased in recent weeks.Nonetheless, the group remains a serious threat to stability in eastern DRC. We understand that during the operations, members of the militia carried out reprisal attacks against members of the civilian population.Since the end of the joint operations, the FDLR have regrouped in some locations. The DRC army is continuing its efforts to apply pressure to the FDLR, with support from UN peacekeepers. This includes the process of persuading FDLR members to give up their struggle, disarm and integrate into civilian life.

Secondary information