Heavy gunfire at the DRC–Burundi border: Burundian population lives in fear

SOS Médias Burundi

Cibitoke, 3 December 2025- Since Tuesday, 2 December, clashes between the M23 movement and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), supported by the Wazalendo militias and elements of the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) deployed on the Congolese side, have caused explosions heard as far as the Burundian hills along the Rusizi River, which separates Burundi and the DRC.
Bombs landing on Burundian territory have spread panic, while Congolese fleeing the fighting have been prevented from crossing into Burundi.

Explosions near the Rusizi

For the past two days, gunfire and explosions have rocked Katogota, Luvungi, and Kamanyola in South Kivu. On the hills of Rukana and Mparambo, in Cibitoke commune, fear has taken hold: residents have stopped going to the fields, fearing the fighting could spill over into Burundi.

According to several witnesses contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, at least three bombs fired from Kamanyola fell on Burundian territory near Gatoki, in the Rukana area. No human or material damage has been reported.

Crossfire towards Kamanyola

Sources report that Burundian soldiers stationed on the heights of Bwegera responded towards Kamanyola, hitting densely populated areas about fifteen kilometers away.

On Wednesday evening, Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for M23, released a preliminary report citing four civilian deaths and six injuries in several Kamanyola neighborhoods. The rebels blamed Burundian positions for the attacks. SOS Médias Burundi has not been able to independently verify these claims.

Congolese displaced blocked at the border

On the Congolese side, Imbonerakure—youth members of the ruling CNDD-FDD party—supported by Burundian soldiers, are preventing fleeing Congolese populations from crossing the Rusizi.

Several families reported spending the night outdoors in the rain.
“We don’t know where to go; the fighting is getting closer,” said a woman near Kamanyola.

The Burundian government has not yet responded publicly.

Fear and confusion on the Burundian side

In Burundian localities near the border, frustration is growing. Residents say they do not understand why the violence has resumed when information suggested that talks were “well underway.”

“We were hearing about peace, but it is bombs that are arriving,” lamented a resident of Mparambo II.

Regional context: violence flares ahead of expected Washington agreement

The resurgence of fighting comes as Kigali and Kinshasa are scheduled to sign a peace agreement on 4 December in Washington, under U.S. mediation. Mutual distrust between the parties remains high.

A conflict with multiple ramifications

The M23, a former Tutsi rebel group that resumed arms in 2021, accuses Kinshasa of failing to honor reintegration agreements.

Kinshasa, in turn, accuses Rwanda of supporting the rebels.

UN experts—called “impostors” by Kigali—claim that around 6,000 Rwandan soldiers are deployed in eastern Congo to support the M23, a claim Kigali categorically denies.

The M23 is affiliated with the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), led by Corneille Nangaa, former head of the Congolese electoral commission, who advocates for the creation of a “federal state.”

Burundi’s increased role

Burundi has become a major military actor in South Kivu.
More than 10,000 Burundian soldiers are reportedly fighting in the DRC alongside the FARDC and pro-Kinshasa militias, including the Wazalendo, placing Gitega at the heart of regional tensions.

New accusations from Kigali

Rwanda now accuses the DRC and Burundi of arming the FDLR, a Hutu Rwandan group active in South Kivu, supplying them with uniforms, ammunition, and tactical support.
These accusations are firmly rejected by Kinshasa and have received no public response from Gitega.

Diplomatic tension in Washington

The Burundian and Kenyan presidencies confirmed the participation of Évariste Ndayishimiye and William Ruto in the Washington summit.
Ruto’s presence—seen as a key opponent of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi—could complicate an already fragile mediation.

The heads of state have arrived in Washington, where the signing of the agreement is expected Thursday.