Rwandan Defence Force

TheRwandan Defence Force(RDF,Kinyarwanda:Ingabo z'u Rwanda,French:Forces rwandaises de défense,Swahili:Nguvu ya Ulinzi ya Watu wa Rwanda) is the military of theRwanda. Prior to 1994, Rwanda's military was officially known as theRwandan Armed Forces(FAR), but following theRwandan Civil Warand theRwandan genocide, theRwandan Patriotic Front(RPF) renamed it theRwandan Patriotic Army(RPA), which was the military wing of the RPF. In late 1994, the military was rebuilt and reorganized as the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF).
The RDF is organized into three service branches: Rwandan Land Force,Rwandan Air Forceand Rwandan Reserve Force. After the RPF conquered the country in July 1994 in the aftermath of theRwandan genocide, the RPF decided to reform solely as Rwanda's ruling political party and separate from its military wing, where the latter would serve as the country's official military.
Defence spending continues to represent an important share of the national budget, largely due to continuing security problems along Rwanda's frontiers with theDemocratic Republic of the CongoandBurundi, and lingering concerns aboutUganda's intentions towards its former ally.
The RDF has been engaged in a low-level insurgency from Rwandan rebels based in eastern Congo, primarily theDemocratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda(FDLR), since the late 1990s. The RDF is regularly deployed in peacekeeping missions in Africa, asRwandais currently one of the largest contributors of personnel on UN missions.
While Rwanda was a Belgian colony administered as a part ofRuanda-Urundi, its security was provided by theForce Publique, the colonial army of theBelgian Congo. As the Congo was due to achieve independence in 1960 and withdraw its forces, the Belgian Special Resident decided to create an indigenous army to provide for Rwanda's security. On 19 May 1960, he ordered the recruitment of a 650-strong military force to become the Garde Territoriale. The force was later renamed the Garde Nationale.The U.S. Army'sArea Handbook for Rwanda, compiled in 1968–9, describes the security forces of Rwanda in 1969 as the 2,500 strong National Guard and the National Police, about 1,200 strong.
TheForces armées rwandaises(FAR) was the national army of Rwanda until July 1994, when the government collapsed in the aftermath of theRwandan genocideand the war with theRwandan Patriotic Front(Inkotanyi). The FAR was estimated at 7,000 strong, including approximately 1,200 members of theGendarmerie. Elite troops included the Presidential Guard, estimated at between 1,000 and 1,300 troops, as well as the Paracommando and Reconnaissance units.These two units were of battalion strength by 1994, and then counted a total of 800 troops.
In response to the RPF invasion of 1990, the 5,000-man FAR rapidly expanded, with French training assistance (as many as 1,100 French troops were in Rwanda at a time), to some 30,000 by 1992.
TheArusha Accords, signed on 4 August 1993, laid out a detailed plan for the integration of the Rwandan Government and Rwandan Patriotic Front military forces.The Rwandan government was to provide 60% of the troops for the new integrated army, but would have to share command positions with the RPF down to the level of battalion. The new army was to consist of no more than 19,000 soldiers and 6,000 Gendarmerie.However radical elements within the Rwandan government were implacably opposed to implementation of the Accords and, instead, began the planning that would lay the foundations for the genocide.
The Reconnaissance Battalion's commander,François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, and his subordinates played a key role during the genocide. Together with the Reconnaissance Battalion, the Paracommando Battalion under Major Aloys Ntabakuze and the Presidential Guard under MajorProtais Mpiranyabecame the three most significantgenocidareunits.
Col.Marcel Gatsinziwas briefly named chief of staff of the Rwandan army from 6 to 16 April 1994, but was replaced byAugustin Bizimungu, who was also promoted to major general on 18 April,since Col. Gatsinzi opposed the genocide.Bizimungu was only briefly chief of staff before fleeing the country. Many soldiers of the FAR have since been implicated by theInternational Criminal Tribunal for Rwandain the genocide, including its leader during the genocide, Col.Théoneste Bagosora, who was chief of thecabinet(private office) of the Ministry of Defence prior to the genocide.
Many elements of the former Rwandan regime, including soldiers of the FAR, fled to easternZaireafter the RPF victory, where they formed theRassemblement Démocratique pour le Rwanda(RDR), which later became theDemocratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda(FDLR), which is still active in easternCongo'sNorth KivuProvince.
Circa 2000 during theSecond Congo War, the Rwanda Patriotic Army unofficially admitted to having 4,000 to 8,000 troops deployed in the Congo, according to theEconomist Intelligence Unit, but this was believed to be a substantial understatement.TheInternational Crisis Groupestimated that the RPA had between 17,000 and 25,000 troops deployed in the Congo. In April 2001, aUnited Nationsreport on the exploitation of the Congo, said the RPA had a minimum of 25,000 troops in the Congo, an estimate the report attributes to "military specialists with a great deal of experience in the region."During the deployment in the DRC, Rwandan forces fought the so-called "Six-Day War" againstUgandanforces over the city ofKisangani, leaving at least 1,000 dead.
On 17 September 2002, the first Rwandan soldiers were withdrawn from the eastern DRC. On 5 October Rwanda announced the completion of its withdrawal;MONUCconfirmed the departure of over 20,000 Rwandan soldiers.
There is an ongoing, low-level insurgency from Rwandan rebels based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; mainly theForces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda(orFDLR)During early 2009 the RDF operated in eastern DRC againstFDLRrebels injoint operationswith the armed forces of the DRC. The initial 2009 deployment was code-named Operation Umoja Wetu.  The RDF re-entered the DRC in 2009 to assist the DRC in putting down theDongo Rebellion. These operations inside the DRC did not prevent cross-border attacks within Rwanda during late 2012, August 2013, December 2018 and December 2019.
There has also been a small number of attacks in southernRwandafrom Burundi-based rebels.  These attacks are usually blamed on the National Forces of Liberation (Forces nationales de libération), or FNL.The FNL is the armed wing of an externally-based opposition party: the Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change, or MRCD, which was formed byPaul Rusesabaginaand Callixte Nsabimana.Rusesabaginais considered by some to be a hero of the 1994Rwandan Genocideand his actions are portrayed in the Hollywood film 'Hotel Rwanda'.  Rusesabagina and Nsabimana were kidnapped and flown to Kigali, where they were arrested, in September 2020.  Their trial continues.Incursions into southern Rwanda by armed members of the FNL occurred in 2018 and 2019and, more recently, on 27 June 2020and 23 May 2021.
TheRwanda National Congressis another opposition group reported by the Kigali Government as carrying out attacks in Rwanda.These include blame for grenade attacks in Rwanda between 2010 and 2014 that killed at least 17 people and injured over 400 others.
On 9 July 2021, a 1000-strong joint Rwandan military police force started deploying to northern Mozambique to assist the national security forces in combating Islamic extremists.The Joint Task Force was commanded by Maj. Gen. Innocent Kabandana and initially comprised 700 soldiers and 300 police.The Rwandan deployment to Mozambique under a bilateral agreement pre-empted a long-planned Southern African Development Council (SADC) military operation.
The Joint Task Force was soon in action and within the month was reported to have overrun a terrorist base and inflicted casualties.In August 2021 it was reported that the contingent had eliminated 14 insurgents in total.The port town of Mocimboa da Praia was then recaptured from insurgents.
Operations then became more scattered across the northern province, and President Kagame announced in February 2022 that 80% of the enemy occupied Cabo Delgado province had been recaptured since mid-2021.At this time the Rwandan Joint Task Force was commanded by Brig. Gen. P. Muhizi.
The Joint Task Force was reported to have increased to 2,500 personnel in December 2022 and, in January 2023, the commander was Maj. Gen. Eugene Nkubito.
On 4 August 2023, there was a change of command when Maj. Gen. Alexis Kagame assumed command of the Joint Task Force from Maj. Gen Eugene Nkubito and the Task Force Battle Group (TFBG) commander Brig. Gen. F. Mutembe handed over to Col. T. Bahizi, the incoming TFBG 3 Commander.
The RDF has deployed forces on a number of UN and AU-endorsed peacekeeping support operations in Africa. Rwanda is now one of the largest contributors of personnel on UN missions. Deployments include the following:
African Union Mission in Sudan(AMIS): Units were deployed on year-long tours of duty between August 2004 and December 2007. The peak commitment was four battalions.
United Nations Mission in Sudan(UNMIS): In the first ever deployment of Rwandan personnel on a United Nations mission, a small contingent of 254 personnel was deployed for year-long tours between November 2005and September 2010.
African Union/ United Nations Hybrid Mission to Darfur(UNAMID): This UN mission superseded the AU mission in the Darfur region of Sudan.  Infantry battalions have been deployed, for year-long tours, between January 2008 and mid-2020. Starting with a peak deployed strength of four battalions, the numbers had declined by mid-2020 to two battalions.
United Nations Mission in South Sudan(UNMISS): In April 2012 a Rwandan contingent was deployed to thisUNmission in the newly independent country of South Sudan.  The deployment was continuing in mid-2020, by when an aviation unit, two infantry battalions and aRegional Protection Forcebattalion were deployed.
AU-led International Support Mission to the CAR(MISCA): This African Union mission to the troubled Central African Republic was joined, between January and September 2014, by a Rwandan mechanised battalion.
United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic(MINUSCA): This UN mission superseded the AU-led mission in the Central African Republic. Rwanda provides a protection battalion in the capital of Bangui, a level two hospital in the town of Bria and, from September 2017, a battle group comprising a mechanised infantry battalion.  During August 2021 the Rwandan was expanded again, when a third Rwandan infantry battalion was deployed to the CAR.
The RDF command comprises the following:
The RDF comprises the Rwanda Army (Land Forces), theRwanda Air Force(Air Forces), the Military Health Service, the Rwanda Reserve Force and Special Units.
The RDF structure reflects a Joint Headquarters; Commands and Institutions placed directly under the CDS; Service Headquarters and various staff groups.
Major training centres include:
Several sources, includingGérard Prunier, document U.S. aid to the RPA before theFirst Congo War.The officially admitted part of the training wasJoint Combined Exchange Training. Prunier strongly implies the United States supplied communications equipment, vehicles, boots, and medicines to the RPA before the war began and after it broke out, delivered second-handWarsaw Pactweapons and ammunition either directly toGomaor by airdrop along the AFDL front lines. He reports that after the war's outbreak, theU.S. Air Forcehad switched from usingC-141 StarliftersandC-5 Galaxysto deliver the non-lethal aid toKigali AirportandEntebbe Airport, to airdrops byC-130 Herculesaircraft.
From July 1994 until December 1997 the RPA had six brigades, as designated in the Arusha Accords: 402nd in Kigali and Kigali Rurale Prefecture; 201st in Kibungo, Umatura, and Byumba Prefectures; 301st in Butare, Gikongoro, and Cyangugu Prefectures; 305th in Gitatama and Kibuye Prefectures; and 211th in Gisenyi and Ruhengeri Prefectures. The brigade boundaries mirrored the political administrative boundaries, which often complicated military operations.During theFirst Congo Warthe brigade headquarters remained inside Rwanda but directed operations inside theDemocratic Republic of the Congo.
Jane's World Armies said in July 2009 that the RDF is deployed to protect the country's borders and defend against external aggression. There are four divisions, each deploying three brigades:
Brigades reported include:
Many soldiers from the former Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR), the national army under the previous regime, have been incorporated into the RDF since 1994. This process began soon after the genocide in January 1995, when several former FAR officers were given senior positions in the new armed forces: Col. (later Gen.) Marcel Gatsinzi became the Deputy Chief of Staff of the RPA, Col. Balthazar Ndengeyinka became commander of the 305th Brigade, Lt. Col. Laurent Munyakazi took command of the 99th Battalion, and Lt. Col. (later Brig. Gen.) Emmanuel Habyarimana became an RPA Member of Parliament and Director of Training in the Ministry of Defence. Gen. Gatsinzi later became Director of Security and then Minister of Defence in 2002.
The Rwandan Land Forces also contain a marine unit which operates onLake Kivu. The unit utilizes severalFabio Buzzipowerboats equipped as fast attack craft, each armed with a singleChinese Type-85 heavy machine gun.In 2021, Rwanda deployed several of the powerboats to operate in littoral waters in the Indian Ocean as part of its deployment to support Mozambique during theInsurgency in Cabo Delgado.
After achieving independence in 1962, the air arm (Force aérienne rwandaise) was formed with Belgian help.By 1972 the first modern equipment started to arrive in the form of sevenAlouette IIIs. Other deliveries includedAérospatiale Gazelle,Britten-Norman Islanders,Nord Noratlas,SOCATAGuerrier armed light planes andEurocopter AS350 Écureuil. After fighting began between the RPA and the government in 1990 most aircraft were shot down, destroyed on the ground or crashed. Few survived.
Flight International'sWorld Air Forces 2017states the Rwandan Air Force has twelveMil Mi-8/17 helicopters, fiveMil Mi-24and fourAerospatiale GazelleSA.342.
During December 2012 an aviation unit of three helicopters was sent to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).The Rwandan Aviation Unit was subsequently increased to six helicopters – reportedly Mi-17.
Despite not being a former British colony, Rwanda has generally used Britishfoot drillduring official parades and functions. Since 2019, however, the RDF has adopted the Chinese variant of thegoosestep, which is today mostly used by countries inCentralandEastern Europe, by communist countries, as well as by countries with a large Prussian/German influence (Russia,ChinaandChileall being examples of each). It was first displayed in April during themilitary paradein honor of theRwandan genocide'ssilver jubileeonLiberation Day, in which over 1,500 RDF soldiers and policemen trained by six members of theBeijing Garrison Honor Guard Battalionof thePeople's Liberation Army'sCentral Theater Commandmarched while using the goosestep.Mandarinparade commands are used, such as "Look to the right!" to which the soldiers respond with "One! Two!", which is done similarly in the PLA honor guard.Prior to this, only the rebels utilized the goosestep during the Civil War, as they received military training in the neighboring country ofUganda, which uses the goosestep.
TheRwanda Defence Forces Army Bandis themilitary bandof the RDF. The RDF Band was founded in 1992 during theRwandan Civil Warand gave its first performance on 8 March 1992. After the war, it was re-established with 46 members. Although it represents the defence forces, it falls under the command of the Land Forces.