In a statement issued on July 30, MONUSCO said the individuals had been returned by Rwandan authorities on July 29 after they had previously been repatriated to Rwanda under the Mission's Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (DDRRR) programme.

However, the UN mission stressed that it "was not present for the transfer of these individuals back to the DRC and is not involved in this return in any capacity."

The clarification came after Rwanda's Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) announced that the 39 Congolese nationals had been repatriated after a verification process concluded they were not eligible for Rwanda's demobilisation and reintegration programme.

According to the RDRC, the group had entered Rwanda claiming to be former members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group founded by remnants of forces responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The commission said a comprehensive screening found that they did not meet the criteria for enrolment in the programme.

"The repatriation took place following a comprehensive verification process which established that these individuals did not meet the eligibility requirements for Rwanda's demobilisation and reintegration programme," the commission said.

MONUSCO explained that, under its Security Council mandate, its DDRRR programme supports the voluntary disarmament, repatriation and reintegration of foreign combatants in eastern DRC and their dependants.

Before any individual is repatriated to Rwanda, the mission carries out a multi-stage screening process to determine eligibility. Only those found eligible are placed on a proposed repatriation list, which is then submitted to the Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission for review and final approval.

The mission said it remains committed to safeguarding "the independence, integrity and transparency" of the DDRRR process and will continue working with all relevant stakeholders in implementing its mandate.

The RDRC, established in 2015, is responsible for the demobilisation and reintegration of eligible former military personnel and members of armed groups repatriated to Rwanda.

According to the commission, more than 12,600 former members of armed groups operating in eastern DRC have been reintegrated into Rwandan society since 2001.