On April 10, 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi entered a more organised and widespread phase, as coordinated killings escalated across several former prefectures, including Kigali Ngari, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Byumba, Kibungo and Cyangugu.
Across the country, Tutsi were targeted in churches, public institutions and communities where they had sought refuge, as the interim government advanced its systematic campaign of extermination.
On the same day, France continued evacuation operations while maintaining engagement with the interim government led by then Prime Minister Jean Kambanda. Among those evacuated were 94 orphans from families of soldiers loyal to former President Juvénal Habyarimana, flown to Paris from the Sainte-Agathe orphanage linked to Agathe Kanziga.
Also on April 10, then Foreign Affairs Minister Jérôme Bicamumpaka met French Ambassador Jean-Michel Marlaud, requesting military intervention against the RPF. No public call was made to halt the killings.
Church leaders’ response draws scrutiny
In a statement dated April 10, 1994 and published in Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper, Rwandan Catholic bishops led by Mgr Thaddée Nsengiyumva expressed grief over the death of President Habyarimana and the violence that followed, but did not condemn the ongoing genocide against the Tutsi or identify those responsible.
The bishops praised government forces and pledged support to the newly formed interim administration, urging citizens to do the same—a stance later criticised by genocide researchers and institutions.
Massacres in churches and communities
Killings intensified in multiple locations, particularly where Tutsi had gathered seeking protection.
In Karambi, Murundi Sector (present-day Kayonza District), Interahamwe militia led by Jean-Baptiste Gatete attacked Tutsi who had taken refuge in a Catholic church in Rwinkeke, killing them and disposing of bodies in latrine pits.
At Nyarubuye Parish in Rusumo, between 3,000 and 4,000 Tutsi were massacred under the direction of local authorities. In Zaza (Kibungo), more than 1,000 people were killed between April 10 and 11, while in Kiziguro, an estimated 3,500 to 3,700 victims were murdered in another large-scale attack.
In Rushashi, killings were reported in areas including Rwankuba Parish, Shyombwe and Kinyari trading centre. The area had also hosted meetings where local leaders coordinated the targeting of Tutsi.
Attacks in Gikongoro, Ngororero and Bugesera
At Ruramba Health Centre in former Rwamiko Commune, Gikongoro, Tutsi who had sought refuge were killed in coordinated attacks involving local officials and militia.
In Ngororero, then part of Gisenyi Prefecture, Tutsi gathered at administrative offices were killed, with some burned alive using fuel after being lured into buildings under the pretext of safety.
In Bugesera, soldiers from Gako military camp launched an assault on Tutsi who had gathered on Rebero Hill. After initial resistance, troops opened fire, followed by Interahamwe militia who killed those who survived the gunfire.
Gahanga church massacre
In Gahanga, Tutsi who had taken refuge in a Catholic church were separated from Hutu civilians before being systematically attacked.
On April 10, soldiers opened fire inside the church, killing many, while militia groups moved in afterward to kill survivors. Today, the site is a genocide memorial where more than 7,000 victims are buried.
April 10, 1994 remains one of the most devastating days in the early phase of the Genocide against the Tutsi, marked by coordinated, large-scale massacres carried out across multiple regions of Rwanda.
