Where Did Rwandan Refugees Flee During the Genocide?

During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, an estimated two million Rwandans—primarily ethnic Hutus—fled the country to escape the violence. The vast majority sought refuge in neighboring Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), while smaller numbers crossed into Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda. This massive exodus created one of the largest and most complex humanitarian crises of the 1990s, with refugee camps struggling to provide basic necessities amid cholera outbreaks and ongoing political instability. The displacement reshaped the demographic and political landscape of the Great Lakes region for decades.