Kigali has announced that it is “almost impossible” to extradite key members of M23 rebel movement living in Rwanda.

The DRC leadership wrote to Kigali last month demanding that it extradites of former M23 leaders who include Jean-Marie Runiga and military commanders Baudouin Ngaruye, Eric Badege and Innocent Zimurinda to face trial in Congo.

Even though Kigali has invited its Congolese counterparts to Rwanda to discuss the possible extradition of Congolese citizens, Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo says her government cannot send former M23 rebels as Kigali is concerned about their security.

“Our position is that we cannot extradite these people to countries that maintain the death penalty in their penal code,” Ms Mushikiwabo said on Thursday.

But some analysts look at Rwanda’s approach to the extradition request as retaliation for Kinshasa’s refusal to send back members of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

FDLR are being accused  of working with Congolese army.

READ: Kigali raises the red flag over FDLR, Congolese army ties

Kinshasa is accusing Jean Marie Runiga’s group of committing crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and other offences in Eastern Congo.

By refusing to co-operating and have the suspects extradited, Kinshasa says Rwanda will not be respecting a recently signed agreement between the countries of the Great Lakes region — including Rwanda and the DRC — in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that demands signatories eradicate rebel groups in eastern DRC.

But Ms Mushikiwabo described Rwanda as a law –abiding country, only saying the extradition request is a complicated one as Kigali finds it uncomfortable to deal with Kinshasa in “this case” when  they still have the death sentence.

“But our Ministry of Justice is looking at the matter. Extraditing people is a legal process that takes time,” said Ms Mushikiwabo.

The minister said Kigali continues to enjoy good relations with DRC in spite of the diplomatic frictions between the two neighbouring countries.

Appeal to UN

The former rebels wanted by DRC entered Rwanda in February this year after fleeing from the fighting between two different factions of the movement.

Apart from the rebels, Rwanda also accommodates about 70,000 Congolese nationals.

They are now being held at an internment camp in Ngoma district in the country’s Eastern Province.

Last month, Rwanda appealed through Ms Mushikiwabo appealed to the UN to take responsibility for the ex-combatants of M23 when she addressed a special United Nations Security Council session on the Great Lakes Region.

READ: Rwanda seeks UN’s help in deciding fate of ex-M23 rebels

She said her country could not continue to “bear the burden” alone. It is stuck with the rebels, who have since been disarmed.

Rwanda needs at least Rwf180 million ($277,391) to sustain the former rebels for at least six months before a decision is reached on whether to give them asylum.