The Rwandan government, through its embassy in Maputo, will repatriate the first group of Rwandan citizens to their areas of origin 28 years after the genocide between April 7 and July 15, 1994.

These are a total of 19 Rwandan citizens who are refugees in Mozambique and have agreed to return to Rwanda voluntarily.

The Rwandan Embassy in Maputo assumes the return expenses of the Rwandans under a refugee reintegration program.

The return is voluntary and the authorities hope to receive more people interested in returning to their origins, said Ilda Matlombe, representative of the Rwandan Embassy in Mozambique.

Data provided by Kigali's diplomatic representation in Maputo point to about six thousand Rwandan refugees in Mozambique.

The repatriation comes at a time when Mozambique is counting on Rwandan support in combating terrorism in Cabo Delgado. But there are also reports of persecution of Rwandan citizens in the country.