Goma (DRC): Burundian soldiers deployed in the context of the EAC quit their positions

Elements of the Burundian army on mission in the province of North Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo have left the cities of Kitschanga and Mweso in the territory of Masisi. They withdrew this Wednesday. Local civil society confirms this information and specifies that residents continue to flee to the neighboring chiefdom of Bahunde. But a spokesperson for the Burundian army in Congo denies this information. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Burundian troops assigned to the joint mission of the armies of the East African Community had set up their base in Kitschanga since this area was handed over to the forces of the East African economic bloc by the M23 rebels, there several months ago. The area is located 78 kilometers from the city of Goma, provincial capital.

“These Burundian forces abandoned Kitschanga and Mweso after violent fighting which began in the morning between elements of the M23 and local armed groups in the areas of Burungu, Kilolirwe, Nturo and Kausa,” said Duniya Ambroise, one of the of civil society leaders in the region.

The M23 leadership also confirmed the withdrawal of Burundian soldiers.

“We announce that now, the Burundian contingent of the EAC based in Kitschanga has just burned down its Kitshanga military base and its elements are heading to an unknown destination around the locality of Kibarizo,” wrote on Wednesday morning, on his account Bertrand Bisimwa, political leader of M23.

Reaction from the FDNB

Captain Norbert Nsabimana, spokesperson for the Burundian forces in the DRC, rejects all this information.

“Our troops have not left the Kitschanga base because they are in a very good position,” he replied to SOS Médias Burundi.

The violent fighting caused the displacement of many civilian populations from Kitschanga to the neighboring chiefdom of Bahunde, on the border with Bashali.

“Yes, the EAC forces have abandoned their positions here in Kitschanga since early in the morning,” a resident said.

“We are afraid that the troops who were stationed here have just deserted our locality,” worried other residents who spoke to SOS Médias Burundi on Wednesday afternoon.

Fighting continues in this region between local militias supported by the Congolese authorities and the M23 as the Congolese army recently made a collaboration deal with MONUSCO (United Nations Organization Mission in the DRC) to protect the town of Goma and that of Sake located some 20 kilometers west of the provincial capital.

This joint operation, called “Springbok”, is criticized by pressure groups and citizen movements who instead demand the departure of the much-criticised UN mission and plead for “consequential” arming and training of the Congolese army which they consider “to be capable of defending the integrity of the national territory”.

The M23 is an ancient Tutsi rebellion which took up arms again at the end of 2021, accusing the Congolese government of not having respected its commitments on the reintegration of its fighters. The Congolese authorities remain convinced that it benefits from the support of Rwanda, which the Rwandan government continues to deny, accusing the Congolese leadership to collaborate with the Rwandan FDLR genocidaires by providing them with uniforms, weapons and ammunition to “destabilize Rwandan territory”.

Recently, it accused the Burundian military of allying with the Congolese army and local and foreign armed groups including the FDLR to attack innocent civilian populations, which a spokesperson for the Burundian army denied.