Red-Tabara : Gitega presents a man identified as Rwandan fighter

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, September 1, 2026—The Burundi National Police (PNB) presented a man to the local press on Tuesday, claiming he is of Rwandan origin and a fighter with the Red-Tabara armed group. The presentation took place at the National Intelligence Service (SNR) headquarters in the commercial capital, Bujumbura, where the man is being held.

A man arrested in eastern DRC

Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesperson for the Ministry of Security, indicated that the suspect was arrested in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before being transferred to Burundi.

According to the official, the man is a member of Red-Tabara, an armed group opposed to the government in Gitega. Pierre Nkurikiye once again accused Rwanda of creating, training, and organizing this movement.

The spokesperson also reiterated the Burundian authorities’ accusations that Red-Tabara is led by Alexis Sinduhije, a former journalist turned politician, now in exile in Belgium.

A man presented as Rwandan

Before journalists, the man introduced himself as Bonheur Dieudonné. He claimed to have been born in Rwanda in 1994.

However, the Burundian National Police (PNB) did not provide any independent evidence during this presentation to verify his identity, nationality, or membership in Red-Tabara.

The precedent of the 2015 crisis

Burundian accusations against Kigali regarding the alleged harboring and training of fighters hostile to the government date back to the 2015 political crisis.

The crisis erupted after former President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term, a move contested by the opposition and a segment of civil society. In May 2015, General Godefroid Niyombare announced an attempt to overthrow the president while he was abroad.

After the failed coup, several officials and military personnel involved sought refuge in Rwanda. Since then, Burundian authorities have regularly presented to the press individuals they accuse of having been trained in Rwanda before participating in “acts of terrorism” in Burundi.

Rwandan authorities consistently reject these accusations, calling them “the worst lie.”

No official reaction from the Rwandan government was available Tuesday evening regarding the accusations made by Burundian police in this new case.