Burundi-Rwanda tensions : Burundian police accuse Rwandan soldiers of incursion on Lake Cohoha

SOS Médias Burundi

Kirundo, September 1, 2020—An exchange of fire broke out Monday evening between Burundian and Rwandan forces on Lake Cohoha in northern Burundi, following an alleged incursion by Rwandan soldiers into the Burundian territory, according to the Burundi National Police (PNB).

The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. near Cimo village, in the Kiri zone of ​​Kirundo, Butanyerera Province. According to the PNB and several local sources, children fishing on the lake crossed the border. They were then allegedly pursued by the Rwandan Navy soldiers, who in turn crossed the border.

“The children had crossed the border into the lake, and the Rwandan soldiers chased them,” reports a local source speaking on condition of anonymity.

Rwandan soldiers reportedly spent about an hour on the Burundian side.

According to information gathered locally, the Rwandan soldiers remained on the Burundian territory for about an hour.

A patch of vegetation near the border was also reportedly set on fire during the incident. The circumstances of this fire remain to be determined.

Alerted, the Burundian police and army intervened to push the Rwandan soldiers back to their side of the border.

Warning shots were reportedly fired first by the Burundian forces. The Rwandan soldiers then allegedly returned fire before withdrawing back into the Rwandan territory.

“We heard several gunshots. The population was frightened, and some residents left their homes,” testified a local resident.

No prolonged confrontation was reported.

Child fishermen initially nowhere to be found

The children who started the incident could not be located initially, according to local sources.

However, later information indicates that some of them managed to reach the shore and reunite with their families.

No casualties were reported following the exchange of gunfire. No significant material damage was also reported.

The local population, who had temporarily left some homes after the initial shots were fired, reportedly gradually returned to their homes once the situation calmed down.

A border difficult to demarcate

According to several local sources, this type of incident occurs regularly in this part of Lake Cohoha.

“The maritime border is very difficult to discern,” explained one of them, highlighting the difficulties fishermen face in precisely marking the boundary between the two countries.

Fishing is an important activity for the local communities. The unintentional crossing of the border by fishermen can therefore quickly become a source of tension with the security forces of both countries.

Relations between Gitega and Kigali remain strained

This incident occurs against a backdrop of particularly tense relations between Burundi and Rwanda.

The two countries accuse each other of supporting armed groups hostile to their interests.

Gitega accuses Kigali of supporting armed groups opposed to Burundi, while Rwanda rejects these accusations and, in turn, accuses the Burundian authorities of supporting groups operating against Rwanda.

Burundi closed its land border with Rwanda in January 2024, amid deteriorating relations between the two countries.

For the time being, the situation has returned to calm on the Burundian shores of Lake Cohoha. However, the exact circumstances of the border crossing and the exchange of fire remain to be officially established.