Burundi : massive military exercises in Kibira revive fears of widening conflict

SOS Médias Burundi

Cibitoke, March 23, 2026 — Since February 3, significant military exercises have been reported in the Kibira forest, in the Bukinanyana district of Bujumbura province, in the west of the small east African nation. According to local and security sources, these maneuvers simulate confrontation scenarios involving the M23 and the Rwandan army. While the authorities are trying to reassure the public, the population remains concerned. The Kibira natural reserve extends into neighboring Rwanda, where it becomes the Nyungwe forest.

Significant military deployments have been observed since February 3 in the Kibira forest, in the Bukinanyana zone. Residents of the villages of Ruhembe, Nderama, and Ryazo (Bumba zone), as well as Nyarubugu, Giserama, and Myave (Ndora zone), reported seeing numerous heavily laden military vehicles entering the natural reserve.

Initially, locals thought it was simply a rotation of units responsible for monitoring Kibira National Park and the border with Rwanda. However, the sounds of heavy weapons fire heard inside the forest quickly led them to suspect large-scale military exercises.

According to sources close to the military, several thousand troops are involved in these maneuvers, having fled the M23’s dramatic advances in South Kivu in December 2025.

A scenario involving confrontation with the M23 and the Rwandan army

According to these same sources, the exercises involve simulated combat against the March 23 Movement (M23) and, in some cases, against the Rwandan army in the event of a regional escalation.

The maneuvers are supervised by officers of the Burundian army, with the participation of young people affiliated with the ruling party, the Imbonerakure, as well as fighters from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Among them are members of the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo), Wazalendo militias, and fighters from the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), a Rwandan Hutu armed group, some of whose members are accused of participating in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

“We were initially gathered behind the Muremera Primary School, in the Buhayira zone, built by an Indian company involved in a hydroelectric dam project. But the space proved insufficient. We were then redeployed to a more isolated site,” says a young officer involved in the training.

Reported presence of foreign instructors

Concurring sources also report the presence of foreign instructors, including Belgian trainers specializing in the use of modern weaponry.

Following the training sessions, the participants would return to various accommodation sites, including properties belonging to General Étienne Ntakarutimana, alias Steven, former head of the National Intelligence Service (SNR), as well as the Green Village Hotel, owned by businessman and Senator Gervais Ndirakobuca, alias Ndakugarika, the current President of the Senate. Both generals, from the former Hutu rebellion now in power since 2005 following the Arusha Agreement of August 2000, are from the region.

“We will leave Kibira once the training is complete to dislodge the M23 rebels from the areas they occupy,” stated a soldier contacted on site on condition of anonymity.

A population kept at a distance and increasingly worried

The continued troop movements and the regular arrival of reinforcements are fueling the anxiety of the local population. Access to the forest has been prohibited, including for forestry agents, farmers, and regular loggers.

Logistical convoys are ensuring the supply of food and equipment, while some roads leading to Kibira have been rehabilitated to facilitate military operations.

Fearing a deterioration of the security situation, some residents are already leaving their villages to take refuge in other districts, stating that they will not return until the military has left.

The authorities are trying to reassure the public.

No detailed official statement has been issued by the Bukinanyana district administration regarding the exact nature of the operations. Military officials, however, refer to them as routine exercises aimed at strengthening border security and protecting Kibira.

When questioned about the alleged presence of foreign armed groups, some officials referred inquiries to the spokesperson for the Burundian army, who has not yet responded.

While awaiting official clarification, the climate remains tense in this strategic region of the northwest of the country, in a regional context marked by strong tensions.

An explosive regional context

These exercises are taking place in a highly tense climate in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In this region, the Burundian army is fighting alongside the FARDC, the Congolese loyalist army, and the Wazalendo militias supported by Kinshasa. These forces are notably confronting the M23 and its allies, in an environment marked by military, political, and intercommunity rivalries.

The M23, a former predominantly Tutsi rebellion that took up arms again in late 2021, is now affiliated with the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a political-military coalition led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the DRC’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). The coalition advocates for the establishment of a federal state in the DRC and controls several strategic areas in the east of the country, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, as well as important mining sites such as Rubaya, one of the world’s largest coltan deposits.

On the military front, an internal report from the Congolese Ministry of the Interior and Security, consulted by SOS Médias Burundi in December 2025, indicates that the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) deployed more than 29,000 soldiers in eastern DRC between August 2022 and December 2025, as part of a security cooperation agreement with Kinshasa.

Tensions between the DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi are also fueling instability. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23, which Rwanda denies, while Kigali, in turn, accuses the DRC and Burundi of supporting the FDLR.

Despite these disagreements, a report by the UN Group of Experts published in December 2025 confirms the presence of 5,000 to 7,000 Rwandan soldiers alongside M23 fighters in eastern DRC.

Diplomatic initiatives are struggling to bring lasting stability to the situation. An agreement signed in Washington on December 4, 2025, between the DRC and Rwanda, under the US mediation, aimed to reduce tensions and strengthen security cooperation. Burundi participated in this agreement as an observer, represented by President Évariste Ndayishimiye.

Finally, the security crisis also has humanitarian repercussions. Burundi alone hosted more than 100,000 Congolese refugees between December 2025 and January 2026, in addition to more than 70,000 who arrived during 2025. This massive influx is increasing the pressure on local resources, reception infrastructure, and the capacities of host communities.