On 5 October 1990, 535 Belgian troops, along with additional Zairian forces, intervened in Rwanda to support the Forces Armées Rwandaises (FAR), the national army of Rwanda at the time. This military intervention occurred in the context of the ongoing Rwandan Civil War, which had begun earlier that year when the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) launched its armed struggle by attacking the Kagitumba border post.
Special Day Description:
On 5 October 1990, the Belgian government decided to deploy 535 Belgian paratroopers to Rwanda to assist the Forces Armées Rwandaises (FAR), which were engaged in a conflict with the RPF. This move was part of a broader military response to the growing threat posed by the RPF’s military advance.
At the same time, Zairian (now Congolese) troops, led by President Mobutu Sese Seko, also intervened in Rwanda, offering support to the FAR, marking an expansion of the conflict to include regional players.
The Belgian forces were sent to help defend Rwanda’s government and stabilize the situation on the battlefield, while the Zairian forces provided additional support, primarily focused on reinforcing the Rwandan government’s defense against the RPF.
Key Points:
- 535 Belgian troops were deployed to Rwanda to support the Rwandan Army (FAR) during the Rwandan Civil War.
- Zairian forces, under Mobutu Sese Seko, also intervened alongside the Belgian military, contributing to the defense of the Habyarimana government.
- The intervention occurred shortly after the RPF’s initial attack in October 1990 and was aimed at preventing further military gains by the RPF.
- The involvement of Belgium and Zaire marked the beginning of external military support for the Rwandan government during the civil war, with France also becoming involved in the conflict in subsequent months.
The military intervention on this day by Belgium and Zaire represented a significant escalation of external involvement in the Rwandan Civil War, which had broader implications for the Rwandan government’s future stability.