Nduta camp : five refugees abducted amid fear and impending deportations

SOS Médias Burundi

Nduta, February 20, 2026 – Fear is spreading in the Nduta camp in Tanzania. Five Burundian refugees have recently been abducted on different dates, the latest incident occurring on the night of Wednesday, February 18. Residents are denouncing a series of nighttime attacks and describing a growing climate of intimidation, amid the looming threat of mass deportations.

According to testimonies gathered on site, the missing persons have been identified by their relatives, who are calling for urgent intervention from authorities and humanitarian organizations.

“The perpetrators have not been identified because some of them are wearing masks. They accuse these refugees of preventing others from returning to the country en masse,” report camp residents.

Nighttime violence and accusations of coercion

In addition to these abductions, several refugees report repeated physical and sexual violence perpetrated in the rubble of houses demolished by the camp administration.

“They attack at night, sometimes severely beating refugees. Some of the wounded go to Doctors Without Borders teams for treatment. Young girls and women are also raped,” say Burundian refugees.

A refugee interviewed believes the attackers are not Tanzanians. “If they were, they wouldn’t be wearing masks, because we would know them. We think there are also Burundians among them, who came from Burundi or are working in collusion with the Tanzanian government,” he suggests.

Massive destruction and threat of eviction

This situation comes as the destruction of homes continues in the camp.

“It seems like it’s become normal and an everyday occurrence.” They are destroying houses every day. The camp has become a construction site. Almost a third of the camp has been razed,” lament the refugees, who are appealing to the international community.

Since the end of 2025, Burundian refugees living in the Nduta and Nyarugusu camps in Tanzania have been denouncing serious violations, which they describe as pressure to force their return to Burundi.

The demolition operations, which began last January, have reportedly already affected more than 30,000 people. Hospitals, health centers, and schools are also said to be impacted.

Tanzanian authorities have announced that after March 31, more than 110,000 Burundian refugees will no longer be allowed to remain in Tanzania.