Its Leader Captured, Congo Rebel Force Dissolves

On Thursday night, Rwandan troops captured General Laurent Nkunda along the Congo-Rwandan border. General Nkunda was the leader of a rebel army in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His arrest by Rwandan forces comes as a particular surprise, largely due to the fact that Rwanda was one of the top backers of Nkunda's forces.

After his arrest, the army that Nkunda once controlled largely disbanded. Instead of holding fast to the ideals perpetuated by their former leader, the rebels opted instead to lay down their arms and be integrated into the Rwandan army.

Nkunda built one of the strongest, best-organized bush armies in Africa. This was a direct result of his charismatic leadership style. A true believer, Nukunda believed that he had been put on earth to protect fellow Tutsis in Congo from being slaughtered as they were in Rwanda in 1994.

His obvious control over his troops is a likely explanation for why they disbanded upon his arrest. Without his enthusiasm to push them, his rebel army no longer felt the need to defend Nkunda's convictions.

The Congolese government is urging Rwanda to hand him over to face war crimes and treason charges. This may be more complicated than it seems, as Nkunda is a former Rwandan Army officer, and until recently, top Rwandan officials were suspected of supplying him with weapons and soldiers.

It seems, however that a deal has been struck between the two governments where Rwandans agree to neuturalize Nkunda and in return, Congo let thousands of Rwandan troops hunt down Hutu militants on Congloese soil.