Burundi’s President has told the BBC that he possesses ‘credible intelligence’ indicating that neighbouring Rwanda is planning an attack on his nation. Évariste Ndayishimiye further accused Kigali of harbouring Burundian conspirators involved in the unsuccessful coup attempt against the late former president, Pierre Nkurunziza (1964-2020), in 2015.
The two nations, which were once part of the Belgian-administered Ruanda-Urundi colony after World War I and later a UN trusteeship from 1946, have experienced ongoing tensions since their independence in 1962.
Ndayishimiye’s allegation could be linked to the ongoing war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, have seized significant territories in the mineral-rich North and South Kivu provinces, including the major cities of Goma and Bukavu. Burundian forces have been collaborating with Congolese troops, with around 10,000 soldiers deployed to the DRC as part of an East African Community regional force since October 2023. However, many of these troops withdrew in February following the rapid advances of M23, reportedly after sustaining heavy losses.
Additionally, Burundi is facing the challenge of accommodating over 120,000 Congolese refugees, which is putting a strain on relief resources in displacement camps, as reported by the UN’s World Food Programme.
In response, Kigali has labelled Ndayishimiye’s remarks ‘unfortunate.’ Rwanda’s foreign minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, posted on social-media platform X that the two countries are already engaged in discussions to ease the situation.
Sources
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5znee2dxno
https://x.com/BBCAfrica/status/1904596246947299511
https://thedefensepost.com/2025/02/21/burundi-forces-flee-dr-congo/