Rwandan authorities on Monday, May 19 received a group of 796 Rwandans returning from eastern DR Congo, where they had been held hostage by the FDLR, a militia founded by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The group, mainly made up of women and children, is the second to be supported to go back to their country by the AFC/M23 rebels, who now control the eastern DR Congo provinces of North and South Kivu. The first group of 360 arrived on Saturday.

Officials supporting the repatriation process of these returnees say they were held hostage for many years, and some detained, by the DR Congo-backed FDLR genocidal militia.

Prosper Mulindwa, the Mayor of Rubavu District who welcomed the returnees at Grande Barrière Border Post on Monday morning, thanked them "for the decision to return to their country because Rwandans are treated all equally."

"Take part in national programmes," Mulindwa told the group, which was transported to the Nyarushishi Transit Canp in Rusizi District, where they will be supported to reintegrate into the community.

"The country is safe and your communities will receive you with no divisionism. And most importantly your children will go back to school after being discharged from the Nyarushishi Transit Camp. You will obtain official documents, including ID cards and any other necessary support."