Unknown Other major events The 2009 Eastern Congo offensive was a joint Congo-Rwanda military offensive against the Hutu Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebel group descended from those groups that carried out the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

[5] On 20 January 2009, 1,000 Rwandan soldiers poured over the border into eastern Congo near Goma and were working, according to United Nations officials, as advisers for the Congolese troops.

In response the rebels claimed they didn't lose any men and that the Congolese military itself suffered nine soldiers killed and one wounded in a clash with a group of Mai-Mai militiamen.

[2] By this time the FDLR was in retreat from Southern into Northern Kivu province and the number of Rwandan soldiers in the region reached 5,000.

On 26 January 2009, rebels tried to retake the village of Kasinga, but were repulsed by Congolese and Rwandan soldiers in fighting that killed four militiamen.