In late June 1994, France launched Opération Turquoise, a UN-mandated mission to create safe humanitarian areas for displaced persons, refugees, and civilians in danger; from bases in the Zairian cities of Goma and Bukavu, the French entered southwestern Rwanda and established the zone Turquoise, within the Cyangugu–Kibuye–Gikongoro triangle, an area occupying approximately a fifth of Rwanda.
Krajem lipnja 1994. godine, Francuska je pokrenula operaciju Tirkiz, misiju s mandatom UN-a za stvaranje sigurnih humanitarnih područja za prognanike, izbjeglica i civila u opasnosti; iz baza u Zairskih gradova Goma i Bukavu, Francuzi su ušli jugozapadnu Ruandu i uspostavili zonu Tirkiz, unutar trokuta Cyangugu-Kibuye-Gikongoro, područja koje zauzima približno petinu Ruande.