Fizi : clashes between Red-Tabara rebels and the Mai-Mai Yakutumba

On Wednesday, rebels from the armed group of Burundian origin Red-Tabara attacked different posts of the Mai-Mai Yakutumba located in Babengwa in the Lulenge sector and Mondo in the Ngandja sector in the territory of Fizi. It is in the province of South Kivu in the east of the DRC.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

At the origin of the attacks, the arrest of two young collaborators of Red-Tabara. These two young people are from the Bafulero community. They had been sent to Burundi to escort a woman whose identity and role within the rebellion have not been revealed, according to our sources.

It is another Mai-Mai group that intercepted them. These are the Maï-Maï Hassan Mbakanyi. After their arrest, they were entrusted to the Mai-Mai Yakutumba.

Some humanitarian organizations confirm that many residents of the Bogaragara, Kinyokwe and Kitumba areas have fled the fighting and headed to the Rugezi region.

Congolese people who do not like to see Red-Tabara on their soil

According to the testimony of a Mai-Mai Yakutumba militiaman, “we will fight with Red-Tabara. This group must return to Burundi or Rwanda where it came from.”

Hostilities resumed while last April, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi met with local militias maintained by the Congolese authorities in the east of the country to ask them to “dissociate with foreign armed groups and support the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Based in the province of South Kivu, bordering Burundi, Red-Tabara has often been accused of collaborating with the Mai-Mai Ngomanzito, Bilozebishambuke, René and Ilunga. Reports from UN experts say the coalition is pillaging livestock, burning entire villages and killing civilians, especially from the Banyamulenge community in the areas of Bijombo, Kamombo, Rurambo, Minembwe and Kabara.

The rebel movement considered as a terrorist group by Burundian authorities and whose attacks are among other things at the origin of the deterioration of relations between Rwanda and Burundi, has always denied these allegations, calling them “rumors aimed at tarnishing its image “.

According to information not yet verified by SOS Médias Burundi, the Red-Tabara rebels invaded a Mai-Mai Yakutumba camp in Babengwa, recovering many weapons and ammunition on Thursday.

The Red-Tabara guest from Burundi is also detained by the Mai-Mai Yakutumba, according to witnesses.