Burundi has hosted a massive influx of Congolese refugees fleeing conflict in areas such as Uvira, Katogota, Sange, Kiliba, Luvungi, and Kamanyola.
Authorities in Burundi have stated that the country lacks the resources to sustain such large numbers and have appealed for approximately $33 million in international assistance to manage the crisis.
Refugees who spoke to BBC, have described severe hardships in Burundi, including sharply rising food prices and acute shortages of essential supplies, which have made daily survival increasingly challenging.
Conditions at the Gatumba transit site near the DRC border remain dire, with persistent food shortages and a cholera outbreak exacerbated by inadequate sanitation.
Reports indicate significant loss of life, including dozens of deaths attributed to cholera and hunger over a short period in mid-December.
The AFC/M23 said on December 20, that it had facilitated the return of over 1000 Burundian nationals from DRC territory to Burundi amid the ongoing instability.
However, the group claims that Burundian authorities have blocked the border, preventing Congolese refugees from returning home, and are planning to move them to sites farther inland.
Bertrand Bisimwa, the Deputy Coordinator for Political Affairs, Governance, and Diplomacy at AFC/M23, on December 21, relayed testimonies from refugees voicing frustrations that Burundian soldiers are using force, including beatings with sticks, to prevent refugees at Gatumba from boarding vehicles for the journey back to the DRC.
“We are receiving numerous testimonies from our fellow refugees in the Gatumba camp, who are reporting being beaten and sometimes killed for attempting to return to the DRC. It is reported that Burundian soldiers are the ones carrying out these actions,” he said.
An audio message circulated by Bisimwa on X features a woman recounting repeated attempts to depart, only to be driven back through violence, with pleas for assistance in returning safely to the DRC.
“We are trying to board the vehicles, and people are hitting us with sticks, forcing us to go back. We went there for the second time, and they beat us again, forcing us back. Please speak on our behalf, the commanders are coming in, and they want to kill us. Some have already died, and others are imprisoned here in Gatumba. Please, help us return to Congo. Our ambassador is not saying anything. Please, help us,” the refugee said.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 95,000 Congolese individuals entered Burundi between early December and December 21, 2025, primarily through entry points including Gatumba.
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