Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye has claimed that Rwanda is planning to attack his country, citing "credible intelligence" reports. In an interview with the BBC, he also accused Rwanda of orchestrating a coup attempt in Burundi nearly a decade ago, similar to its alleged involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) today.
Rwanda has rejected these accusations, calling them "surprising" and insisting that both countries are working on joint security measures for their shared border, which has remained closed for over a year. The accusations add to the existing tensions in the Great Lakes region, where Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the M23 rebel group, despite extensive UN reports suggesting otherwise.
Ndayishimiye also alleged that Rwanda supports the Red Tabara rebel group, which he described as a proxy force meant to destabilize Burundi. However, he emphasized that Burundi has no immediate plans to retaliate and prefers to resolve the conflict through dialogue.
"The Burundian people will not accept to be killed as Congolese are being killed," he said. "But we don't have any plans to attack Rwanda. We want to resolve the problem by dialogue."
At the heart of his remarks was a call for the full implementation of past peace agreements between the two nations. He claimed that Rwanda had not honored previous agreements and reiterated allegations that the 2015 coup attempt in Burundi was orchestrated by Rwanda.
"If Rwanda accepts to hand over those responsible and bring them to justice, the problem would be finished," Ndayishimiye stated.
Meanwhile, tensions in eastern DR Congo continue to escalate as the conflict involving M23 rebels, local militias, and foreign actors persists. Ndayishimiye blamed external forces for fueling the violence to exploit the DRC's rich mineral resources.
"The crisis in the DRC is not about the people – it is about the minerals," he said, calling for an inclusive peace process involving political opposition and armed groups.
He also questioned Rwanda’s justification for military involvement in the DRC, which it claims is aimed at countering the FDLR, a Rwandan rebel group linked to the 1994 genocide.
"Who is being killed? All I see is Congolese. Why do they kill Congolese when they say they are looking for FDLR?" he asked.
As fighting intensifies, thousands of Congolese refugees have fled to Burundi, some risking their lives by crossing the dangerous Rusizi River. While some refugees claim the Burundi-DRC border is closed, Ndayishimiye denied this, stating that those seeking to return can do so freely.
Regarding efforts to stabilize eastern DRC, the Burundian leader emphasized that his country’s forces would not withdraw until Burundi’s borders are secure. He also called for an expanded mandate for international forces in the DRC to combat rebel groups effectively.
The crisis in the region remains volatile, with recent announcements from southern African leaders confirming the withdrawal of their forces from the DRC after suffering casualties in the fight against M23 rebels.