Bujumbura rocked by explosions in Musaga : projectiles hit homes, the population on alert

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, March 31, 2026 — Explosions were heard Tuesday evening in southern Bujumbura, mainly in the Musaga zone, causing many families to flee and panic in several neighborhoods. According to initial reports, projectiles landed in homes, while authorities are reporting an accident at an ammunition depot.

Detonations continued for hours in several neighborhoods of the commercial capital of the small east African nation. Several residents also reported hearing sounds similar to heavy and light weapons fire.

Projectiles landed in inhabited areas, according to SOS Médias Burundi reporters on the ground. The extent of the damage is not yet clear.

“We saw an object fall and explode not far from our house. People immediately fled,” said a resident of Musaga.

A father living in the neighboring area of ​​Kanyosha recounted : “When I returned, my children and my domestic worker had fled. I was able to locate them far away, in the town of Ruziba, further south.”

While some families left their homes as a precaution, others remained, sometimes trapped where they were when the incident occurred.

An officer of the Burundi National Police (PNB), contacted by SOS Médias Burundi on condition of anonymity, mentioned the use of “bombs,” without providing further details. These statements have not been independently verified.

In a message circulated in a WhatsApp group for government spokespeople and media representatives, Brigadier General Gaspard Baratuza, spokesperson for the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB), indicated that an electrical accident at an FDNB ammunition depot in Musaga was the cause of the explosions.

He urged the population to remain calm and avoid the affected areas, specifying that the relevant authorities were responding.

The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security also called on residents to remain calm, without providing further details.

Several embassies in Bujumbura reported a confusing situation and advised their staff to avoid all unnecessary travel. Those who were still en route were urged to return home immediately : “We must remain vigilant,” some diplomatic sources warned.

A reporter from SOS Médias Burundi described a chaotic situation in the city center : “The few buses that were in the main parking lot fled… police pickup trucks were driving around in all directions… and people were fleeing on foot.”

Some information circulating on social media suggests a possible sophisticated attack, with casualties among the military and the destruction of the ammunition depot. At this stage, these details have not been confirmed by either independent or official sources.

No official casualty figures were available at the time of writing.

SOS Médias Burundi is continuing its fact-checking.