Laurent Nkunda

Laurent Nkunda
Born	(1967-02-02) 2 February 1967 (age 57) Mutanda, Rutshuru, Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
Service/branch	Land Forces
Years of service	1994–2004
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Rwandan genocide (1994–1995); First Congo War (1997–1998); Second Congo War (2000–2003); Kivu conflict (2007); Nord-Kivu War (2008)

Laurent Nkunda (or Laurent Nkundabatware Mihigo (birth name), or Laurent Nkunda Batware, or as he prefers to be called The Chairman; born February 2, 1967) is a former General in the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is the former warlord (leader of a rebel faction) operating in the province of North-Kivu, and a officer of the Tutsi-dominated government of neighbouring Rwanda. Nkunda, who is himself a Congolese born Tutsi, commanded the former DRC troops of the 81st and 83rd Brigades of the DRC Army. He speaks English, French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda,^[1] Lingala and Kinande. On January 22, 2009, he was put under house arrest in Gisenyi when he was called for a meeting to plan a joint operation between the Congolese and Rwandan militaries.^[2][3]