Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Burundi, M23 Rebels Trade Accusations Amid Cross-Border Tensions


(MENAFN) Burundi has blamed M23 insurgents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) for executing a bombing operation on its soil.

This announcement signifies an intensification of regional tensions, despite a peace accord being reached just last week between the leaders of DR Congo and Rwanda.

The reported attack allegedly struck regions within Burundi’s Cibitoke province, which shares a border with DR Congo.

A local news agency reported that multiple civilians, including children, were hurt when two explosives landed near a market in Rugombo. The exact count of injuries and fatalities remains unverified.

“The terrorists of the AFC/M23, supported by Rwanda, dropped a bomb on Burundian territory on [Thursday],” Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana said on Friday in a post on X. “Such provocation is unacceptable, and appropriate actions will be taken to protect the Burundian population.”

Meanwhile, the rebel group Congo River Alliance (AFC), which encompasses the M23 faction, issued rebuttals on the same day.

Through a statement from spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the organization accused Burundi of conducting cross-border assaults over the past several days, claiming that explosives had been falling “continuously” from Burundian soil for more than three days, affecting villages in eastern DR Congo.

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