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'Col.' Emmanuel Rugema, a senior commander of the anti-Rwanda militia group who masterminded the Kinigi terror attack on the night of October 3-4, 2019, was last week killed by his own people, according to reports.
The Kinigi attack resulted in the death of 14 innocent civilians.
Sources say that Rugema, who was deputy commander of the RUD-Urunana militia - one of the main FDLR splinters - was killed by colleagues.
A power struggle has torn the group apart ever since the demise, last year, of its former leader Juvénal Musabyimana, alias Jean Michel Africa, who was killed by the Congolese army.
After Musabyimana's death, RUD-Urunana, which is said to work closely with Ugandan intelligence to destabilize Rwanda, was led by ‘Brig Gen’ Léon Mpiranya, alias Kagoma, deputised by Rugema.
But Mpiranya's reign was short-lived as he was killed on August 29. The internal wrangles and chaos in the group worsened.
The group has ties with, among others, ‘Capt’ Faustin Ntilikina, an FDU-Inkingi member and ex-FAR now living in exile in France. Within RUD-Urunana, it is reported that Rugema was minding the interests of South Africa-based Kayumba Nyamwasa.
Reports indicate that the plot to kill Rugema was hatched and executed by 'Col' Faida and 'Capt' Nshimiye, alias Gavana.
Nshimiye who commanded the Kinigi terror attack of October 2019 was known to be under the protection of Ugandan security organs. He fled to Uganda after the insurgents were repulsed by the government forces.
Internal wrangles are also reported to be devastating the FDLR militia group. Last week, 'Gen' Gabral Secyugu Nsengiyumva, a top FDLR militia commander, was killed by a former bodyguard.
The group is an offshoot of former Rwandan government forces and militia groups that crossed into DR Congo after killing more than a million people during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
jkaruhanga@newtimesrwanda.com
