Burundi/Buringa attack : the Iteka league draws a heavier toll than that of the government

On February 25, the RED-Tabara rebel movement based in the DRC claimed responsibility for an armed attack in Buringa. It is in Gihanga district in Bubanza province (western Burundi). While the government spoke of nine victims including a soldier from the Burundian army, the Iteka league has just drawn up a much heavier toll. It speaks of nineteen victims including nine soldiers. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The oldest civil society organization in Burundi published the toll in its latest weekly bulletin released this Tuesday. It indicates that it has carried out investigations to enlighten the public opinion on the rebel attack of February 25 in Gihanga.

“The Iteka League continued its documentation of the attack to identify all the victims and the context in which they were killed,” the organization said.

It draws a heavier toll than that recognized by the government : nineteen people killed, including nine Burundian soldiers and ten civilians. Seven women are among the civilians.

To support the results of its investigation, the Iteka league even gives the names of all the victims, including those of the soldiers killed.

Sequence of attack

According to the Iteka league, the RED-Tabara fighters settled a little late in the day of February 25 in the Rukoko natural reserve. Their first victim was Cyprien Nizigiyimana, whom they beat up to death.

He was Lieutenant-Colonel Aaron Ndayishimiye’s goat keeper. The same day, around 10 p.m., these armed men left the Rukoko reserve. Arriving in Buringa, very close to the Free Methodist Church, soldiers who were guarding the place fled, some towards the headquarters of the CNDD-FDD party and others towards the residence of the late Émile where members of his family were in mourning, details the document.

It was at this moment that the rebels opened fire on the fleeing soldiers.

“Four soldiers were killed at the office of the CNDD-FDD party, three soldiers and nine civilians at the late Émile’s and two soldiers at the back at the place called Badogo’s”, adds the oldest human rights organization in the small East African nation.

The Iteka league specifies that the body of the goat keeper of Lieutenant-Colonel Aaron Ndayishimiye was burned in a Probox type vehicle which was evacuating it to the morgue.

Evacuation of corpses and burial

According to the investigation by the Iteka league, the bodies of the civilian victims were taken to the DCA-passive morgue located within the grounds of the Melchior Ndadaye International Airport before being buried at the Mpanda cemetery and at the Free Methodist Church on March 2. The bodies of the soldiers were buried at the place called CECENI (same Mpanda cemetery).