GOMA, Congo (AP) — Hundreds of Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda were repatriated on Saturday, the U.N. refugee agency said, after Rwandan-backed rebels seized key parts of the region.
Most of the refugees were women and children, and 360 of them crossed the border in buses provided by Rwandan authorities and were escorted by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and aid group Save the Children, local authorities said. The goal is to repatriate 2,000 people, UNHCR said.
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Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide are repatriated by bus from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide are repatriated by bus from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide wait for repatriation from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Hundreds of Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide are repatriated by bus from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
“We are happy to welcome our compatriots. They are a valuable workforce for the country’s development,” said Prosper Mulindwa, the Rwandan mayor of Rubavu, during a brief ceremony at the border.
The returnees were transported to a transit center where they will receive emergency assistance and support for reintegration.
They were among the hundreds of thousands of Hutus who fled Rwanda after the state-sponsored 1994 genocide that left up to a million minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead. Most had returned when Tutsi-led Rwandan troops first invaded Congo in 1996. But Rwandan authorities said thousands of Hutu militiamen and ex-soldiers had stayed and joined Congo's army to destabilize Rwanda.
For decades, mineral-rich eastern Congo has been ripped apart by violence from government forces and different armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23, whose recent resurgence has escalated the conflict and worsened an already acute humanitarian crisis.
The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts.
Among the Rwandan returnees, personal testimonies highlighted journeys marked by exile and a deep connection to a homeland some have never known.
Nyirakajumba Twizere was born in 1996 in Congo and had never seen Rwanda.
“I never thought this day would come," he said. “I’m finally going back to the land of my ancestors.”
The repatriation is based on a tripartite agreement between Rwanda, Congo and UNHCR that has been in place for more than a decade. According to Rwandan authorities, more than 101,000 refugees have already been repatriated, including 1,500 since the beginning of 2025.
Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide are repatriated by bus from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide are repatriated by bus from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide wait for repatriation from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Hundreds of Rwandan refugees who were living in eastern Congo since the 1994 Rwanda genocide are repatriated by bus from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Erling Haaland continues to motor along at better than a goal a game for Manchester City and has passed Cristiano Ronaldo on the Premier League all-time scoring list.
His latest victim was West Ham on Saturday.
The Norway striker scored in each half to move to 19 goals in 17 matches in this campaign and also set up Tijjani Reijnders' strike in a 3-0 win at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The victory lifted City into first place, a point ahead of Arsenal before the deposed leader's match at Everton later Saturday.
Liverpool won at nine-man Tottenham 2-1 but lost record signing Alexander Isak to a left ankle injury sustained when scoring the first goal.
Chelsea came from two goals down to draw at Newcastle 2-2.
Haaland has 38 goals in a combined 28 games for club and country in what is shaping up to be the most prolific season of his career. Injury permitting, the season will end in him going to his first World Cup with Norway.
His double gave him 104 in the Premier League, one more than Ronaldo — who had two spells at Manchester United — having played 122 games fewer.
Haaland scored at the second attempt from Phil Foden's cross to give City a fifth-minute lead and took advantage of a defensive mix-up by West Ham to make it 3-0 in the 69th.
In between, Haaland slipped a short pass to Reijnders, who took a touch and rifled a shot into the roof of the net in the 38th.
Isak just can't catch a break at Liverpool.
The Sweden striker has struggled in his first few months as British soccer's record signing, having joined Liverpool after training mostly alone in the offseason. He then recently had time out with a groin injury.
On as a sub against Tottenham, Isak scored within 11 minutes but in the act of converting his finish his left ankle was hurt by a challenge from Tottenham's Micky van de Ven and he was helped off the field.
Tottenham was already down to 10 men at that point after Xavi Simons' red card for a studs-up foul on Virgil van Dijk, and Hugo Ekitike doubled Liverpool's lead with a header.
Richarlison reduced the deficit for Spurs in the 83rd and there was time for Cristian Romero to become the second home player to be sent off after kicking out at Ibrahima Konate.
Liverpool climbed to fifth place.
What a difference a week made for Nick Woltemade.
Last weekend, he scored an own-goal to consign Newcastle to a derby loss at fierce rival Sunderland. Six days later, he netted twice in the opening 20 minutes to give his team a fast start against Chelsea.
Chelsea recovered, though, to draw 2-2 with Joao Pedro’s equalizer coming off a rare assist from a goalkeeper.
Robert Sanchez smashed a long clearance up to Pedro, who headed the ball forward and ended up collecting it himself after Fabian Schar slipped. Pedro slotted a finish underneath Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to earn Chelsea a point in the 66th.
“I wanted to give a good performance today and I think I did,” Woltemade said. "I just want to say thank you to the fans for still being good with me.”
Reece James launched Chelsea’s fightback by curling a free kick in off the post after halftime.
Chelsea stayed in fourth place and has won only one of its last five games in the league. Newcastle, one of England's representatives in the Champions League this season, is languishing in midtable after one win in its last four games — and that was against next-to-last Burnley.
Last-placed Wolverhampton remained without a win and on just two points after losing at home to Brentford 2-0.
The latest defeat meant Wolves tied Sheffield United’s 2020-21 record of 17 games without a win from the start of a Premier League season and has lost a club record-extending 10 league matches in a row.
Keane Lewis-Potter scored both of Brentford's goals in the second half.
Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is reportedly a target of some of the Premier League's biggest teams, including Man City and Manchester United.
He underlined his worth by curling home his team's goal in a 1-1 draw with Burnley, which ended its seven-match losing run on its tough return to the top flight. Armando Broja grabbed Burnley's equalizer in the 90th.
Sunderland is doing much better since promotion. A 0-0 draw at Brighton leaves the north-east team in sixth place.
There are two more games to be played on Saturday: Everton vs. Arsenal and Leeds vs. Crystal Palace.
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Liverpool's Alexander Isak reacts after sustaining an injury during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Liverpool in London, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, left, gestures to teammates Manchester City's Rico Lewis, as he celebrates after scoring his sides third goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and West Ham United in Manchester, England, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland reacts after missing a chance to score a goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and West Ham United in Manchester, England, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Newcastle's Nick Woltemade, right, scores the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and FC Chelsea in Newcastle, England, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Chelsea's Joao Pedro celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and FC Chelsea in Newcastle, England, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Chelsea's Joao Pedro, left, scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and FC Chelsea in Newcastle, England, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Newcastle's Nick Woltemade celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and FC Chelsea in Newcastle, England, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
