He made these remarks during a consultative meeting organized by Parliament on March 5, 2025. The discussion focused on the prevalence of genocide ideology in the region, its consequences, and strategies for combating it.

Gen (Rtd) Kabarebe highlighted that the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) involves multiple armed groups, including the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), the FDLR genocidal terrorist group, and SAMIRDC. Notably, he pointed out the presence of European mercenaries fighting illegally under international law.

“The international community has never addressed the issue of mercenaries in the DRC, despite it being a clear violation of international law. When it was suggested that they exit Goma through Rwanda on their way home, there was strong opposition,” he stated.

“Western nations objected. Some embassies here strongly opposed the idea, warning us not to allow these individuals to leave MONUSCO camps and cross into Rwanda. What were they afraid of? They feared humiliation. They did not want to be exposed.”

He further explained that these countries deliberately concealed the presence of mercenaries to avoid disgrace.

“They completely covered it up to ensure these mercenaries remained unknown to the public. Another major concern was the optics of Rwandan soldiers and police searching White individuals at the border. Had these mercenaries been Black, their presence would have been acknowledged and widely reported. However, because they were White, they were shielded from public scrutiny, even to this day.”

In late January 2025, more than 280 mercenaries were escorted through the Rwanda-DRC border after being captured by the M23 rebel group.

These mercenaries, belonging to the Romanian-based RALF group, had been fighting alongside the Congolese Army against M23 since 2022.

More than 280 European mercenaries, mostly Romanians, who had been fighting alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) army in the conflict with the M23 rebel group in eastern Congo, were granted safe passage through Rwanda to return home on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

The mercenaries suffered a setback when M23 fighters defeated the coalition forces and captured the city of Goma on Monday, forcing them to surrender to MONUSCO peacekeepers. They were searched at Rwanda's border in Rubavu before transiting to Kigali International Airport to return home.