Kinshasa, 9 March 2009 - FDLR troops continue to surrender to DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) and MONUC forces. The latest example was that of three FDLR troops accompanied by their families, who surrendered on 7 March 2009 to a FARDC-MONUC joint patrol in Bushaho, 15km east of Kashebere in North Kivu province. They also gave up arms, and MONUC's DDRRR section will assist them to return to Rwanda.

Independent of the combatants who surrender every day, a big number of civilians have also been repatriated to their countries by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Since the start of March, 335 civilians have been repatriated by the UNHCR in North and South Kivu.

MONUC and the FARDC will continue with joint operations, to consolidate the progress achieved by operation "Umoja Wetu."

"These surrenders, which are being recorded every day, are proof that our message of disarmament and return in dignity is continuing to be heard. We encourage other FDLR troops to follow the same path," said Alan Doss, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC.