The statement released by RDF today indicates that the two soldiers have been returned home safely.

"Following the kidnap of two RDF soldiers on patrol along the Rwanda-DRC border on 28 May 2022, and the subsequent diplomatic interventions between the Heads of State of Angola, DRC and Rwanda, the RDF is pleased to announce that the two soldiers are now safely back in Rwanda," reads the statement in part.

These RDF soldiers include Cpl Nkundabagenzi Elysée and Pte Ntwari Gad. They were arrested on patrol along the border between Rwanda and DRC.

DRC said that they were arrested in 20 kilometers from the border as they went to support M23 in its clashes with Congolese Army.

However, Rwanda rejected the statement insisting that they were kidnapped along the border on patrol.

Few days after the incident, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi accepted to release them on the request of Angolan counterpart João Lourenço, who is the mediator between both countries on the issue.

IGIHE recently learnt from credible sources that the soldiers were initially detained by FDLR and later handed over to Congolese Army which incarcerated them in Goma and later in Kinshasa.

Sources also revealed that DRC didn’t want to send them directly to Rwanda but mulled sending them to Angola as the mediator which would hand them over to Rwanda.

RDF has through the statement commended the efforts invested in securing the release of the two soldiers.