Cibitoke : Rwandan rebels killed in the intelligence service cell

Several Rwandan FLN rebels, incarcerated in the dungeon of the national intelligence service in Cibitoke (northwest Burundi), were killed. Sources within the police affirm that their bodies were immediately driven to an unknown location on Wednesday night by a vehicle from the National Intelligence Service (SNR) from Cibitoke and another from Bubanza (west of the country) that came as reinforcements. The same information specifies that these are Rwandan FLN rebels captured in the Kibira natural reserve near Mabayi. Human rights defenders are demanding light on this affair. The head of the SNR on site denies these allegations and speaks of rumors. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

According to various police sources, “an order would have been given to execute these war prisoners arrested during the recent fighting with the army. The objective being to reduce them to silence in order to cover up civil and military dignitaries who collaborated with the enemy.”

Vehicles of intelligence officials from Bubanza and Cibitoke were used to erase all traces.

“These rebels, nine in number, were transported to be buried in a hitherto unknown location”, said a police officer who witnessed their execution.

Another police officer speaks of inhuman and degrading treatment inflicted on these rebels captured on the battlefield.

“Since the beginning of August, arrests of Rwandan rebels based in Kibira have reached an exceptional scale and some die under torture in intelligence jails in Cibitoke”, insists our source.

Human rights defenders are demanding an investigation and full disclosure of these people murdered during their incarceration.

Contacted about this, Ahmed Nabil Sindayigaya, the head of the SNR in Cibitoke, denies all these allegations and speaks of unfounded rumors.

As for the vehicle of the Bubanza intelligence chief seen on site, Ahmed Nabil Sindayigaya replied that the latter had come to Cibitoke this Wednesday, August 30, for a simple work mission.

For his part, Carême Bizoza, the governor of Cibitoke, indicates that investigations are underway to flush out the accomplices of these rebels so that they can be brought before the judicial authorities.

However, Mr. Bizoza says he is not informed of Rwandan rebels killed during their incarceration in the intelligence service cell in his province.

Recently, Burundian Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca threatened to kill all collaborators of the Rwandan rebels based in the Kibira natural reserve.

The district administrator of Mabayi, Nicodème Ndahabonyimana, was arrested, then dismissed from his position at the beginning of August after the death of a local leader of the Imbonerakure (members of the youth league of the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party). Isidore Niyongabo nicknamed Maisha was shot dead at his home on the night of August 9 by Rwandan rebels affiliated with the FLN group, according to several sources that spoke to SOS Médias Burundi.