This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
On May 16, 2020, Felicien Kabuga, a key figure in the Rwandan genocide, was arrested in a pre-dawn raid in the Paris suburbs. The 84-year-old was living under an assumed name at the time of his arrest.
According to reports, Kabuga was accused of creating the Interahamwe militia and a radio network that sent out chilling incitements to murder. The notorious militia was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people during the 1994 genocide.
The United States has hailed the arrest as a milestone for international justice. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus stated, 'This is a milestone for international justice, and a message to all fugitives indicted for genocide that they will be brought to justice.'
The US remains committed to seeking justice for the victims of the genocide. Ortagus added, 'The United States remains committed to seeking justice for the many men, women and children who were killed.'
The State Department is offering up to $5 million for information on seven remaining Rwandans wanted for genocide by an international tribunal.
Over 800,000 people, including Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were slaughtered over 100 days by ethnic Hutu extremists during the 1994 genocide. Former US President Bill Clinton later voiced regret that the United States did not act to stop the bloodbath.
