{"id":55447,"date":"2025-09-01T19:13:53","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T19:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/burundi-accused-of-deploying-over-10-000-troops-to-target-banyamulenge-in\/"},"modified":"2025-09-01T18:54:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T18:54:14","slug":"burundi-accused-of-deploying-over-10-000-troops-to-target-banyamulenge-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/burundi-accused-of-deploying-over-10-000-troops-to-target-banyamulenge-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Burundi accused of deploying over 10,000 troops to target Banyamulenge in eastern DRC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Speaking at a press briefing in Goma on Monday, Nyarugabo alleged that the Burundian troops are reinforcing local militias and the Congolese army in operations aimed at wiping out his community, a campaign he says began in 2017.<\/p>\n

Nyarugabo, who hails from the Minembwe highlands, explained that the attacks were started by Mai-Mai militias from the Fulero, Bembe, and Nyindu communities, who swore to end their attacks only once the Banyamulenge were exterminated.<\/p>\n

He accused the Congolese government of initially ignoring the violence until the creation of MRDP-Twirwaneho, a self-defence group formed to protect the Banyamulenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than 400 villages have been burned, thousands of people killed, and around half a million cattle looted. Many survivors fled to refugee camps in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, while others sought safety abroad,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

{{Burundi\u2019s role questioned
\n}}<\/p>\n

Burundi and the DRC signed a 2022 agreement to jointly combat armed groups such as RED Tabara and FOREBU. But Nyarugabo said the Banyamulenge were shocked to see Burundi, once a haven for their community, now cooperating in operations against them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Burundian state was once a refuge for us. They received us, hosted us. Even after the Gatumba massacre, despite no real accountability, people continued to flee there whenever conflict erupted in Uvira or the highlands, and they were treated well. Even now, some remain there,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

He said there are currently between 12 and 15 battalions, comprising more than 10,000 Burundian soldiers, stationed in the highlands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may wonder, what are more than 10,000 Burundian soldiers doing in those mountains? They claim they came to hunt down RED Tabara, their enemies. But strangely, RED Tabara in that region allied with the Mai-Mai against us. And when the Burundians arrived, they too joined forces with the Mai-Mai.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween 12 and 15 Burundian battalions, comprising over 10,000 soldiers, are now stationed in the highlands. Officially, they claim to be pursuing RED Tabara, but in reality, they have joined forces with Mai-Mai groups and FARDC to attack our people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

According to him, Burundian forces fought RED Tabara, which then fled into Mwenga forests. But instead of pursuing them, Burundi joined the FDLR, the DRC army, and Mai-Mai militias in attacking and looting Banyamulenge communities in Minembwe and beyond.<\/p>\n

Nyarugabo claimed Burundian troops are deployed in Bijombo, Gahuna, Kagogo, Mugeti, Irango, Nyakirango, Murambya, Gatanga, Gitaka, Kanono, Mitamba, Marimba, Rurambo, and other locations.<\/p>\n

He further alleged that drones launched from Kisangani and Bujumbura have carried out repeated strikes in Minembwe, killing civilians and destroying villages. On August 31, he said, drones mistakenly hit an FARDC base in Karunga, killing between 36 and 48 Congolese soldiers, including a battalion commander.<\/p>\n

{{Call for international intervention
\n}}<\/p>\n

Nyarugabo appealed to Burundi to withdraw from what he described as \u201cKinshasa\u2019s plan to annihilate the Banyamulenge\u201d and urged the international community to step in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have no quarrel with Burundi. They should not allow Tshisekedi\u2019s politics to stain Burundian history with the blood of innocent Banyamulenge,\u201d he said. \u201cIf they are truly fighting RED Tabara, let them work with us, not with Congo, Mai-Mai, and the Interahamwe.\u201d<\/p>\n

He vowed that the Banyamulenge would continue to defend themselves if targeted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI swear, the Banyamulenge will never allow themselves to be exterminated,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n

{{Lt Gen Masunzu and others accused of \u2018Stockholm Syndrome\u2019
\n}}<\/p>\n

Although the Banyamulenge formed Twirwaneho for self-defense, some of their leaders chose to remain aligned with the Congolese government. These include Lt Gen Pacifique Masunzu, commander of the 3rd military region, and Urban Development Minister Alexis Gisaro.<\/p>\n

Both have publicly denied that atrocities are being committed against the Banyamulenge, undermining the very rationale for MRDP-Twirwaneho\u2019s existence.<\/p>\n

Nyarugabo claimed their stance is driven by a form of \u201cStockholm Syndrome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn short, they are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, a mental condition where victims sympathise with their abusers. That\u2019s their illness,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that despite their denials, they are well aware that their communities in South Kivu have been uprooted by attacks from Mai-Mai, government forces, and allied militias.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Sukhoi jets and drones strike Minembwe, they do not discriminate between kin. Those who die are our people\u2014and theirs too. Among the dead we bury every day are our own relatives as well as theirs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nyarugabo urged Banyamulenge collaborating with Kinshasa to \u201cwake up, abandon delusion, and return to truth,\u201d warning that anyone complicit in harming South Kivu civilians would also be held accountable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they cannot speak the truth for their own safety, that I can understand. But they should remain silent rather than deny reality. One day they will be questioned, and they will feel shame\u2014because what I am saying is the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
\"Congolese<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Congolese politician Mo\u00efse Nyarugabo has accused Burundi of deploying more than 10,000 soldiers to the highlands of Minembwe and surrounding areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of a campaign to exterminate the Banyamulenge ethnic group.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000093655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[75],"byline":[170],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-55447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-homenews","byline-igihe"],"bylines":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"contributors":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"featured_image":{"id":2000093655,"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/ndayishim-5-d979e.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":0,"height":0,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/ndayishim-5-d979e.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/ndayishim-5-d979e.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/ndayishim-5-d979e.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/ndayishim-5-d979e.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/ndayishim-5-d979e.jpg","width":0,"height":0}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000093655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55447"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=55447"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=55447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}