By Edmund Kagire, KIGALI Rwanda
The government of Rwanda has demanded for explanations from the Burundian government and immediate action to apprehend a group of armed elements who attacked a village in the Southern Province district of Nyaruguru on Saturday, June 27.
Rwanda
Defence Force (RDF) said it repulsed the group of armed assailants who came
from Burundi and attacked a village in Ruheru Sector, Nyaruguru district in the
wee hours of Saturday morning. Four of the attackers were killed according to
the army.
Now the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has officially written to the
Burundian government through diplomatic channels seeking explanations and
calling for the arrest of the armed group.
“The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of
Rwanda wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burundi
requesting for an explanation regarding the attack by unidentified attackers
from Burundi and urged the Government of Burundi to take all necessary measures
so that those guilty of that criminal act, who withdrew to Burundi, be quickly
arrested and brought to justice or extradited to Rwanda so they can answer for
their actions,” the Ministry confirmed to KT Press on Monday.
The
letter was sent the same day of the attacks but the Burundian government is yet
to respond. However, the Burundian army, National Defense Force of Burundi
(FDNB) issued a statement seemingly denying the attacks.
Rwanda’s
Military Spokesperson, Lt Col Innocent Munyengango said that the RDF engaged
the attackers who, were about 100, before they withdrew back to Burundi.
“The
gunmen attacked from Burundi and they fled back in the same direction towards
Burundi military position at Gihisi, Commune Bukinanyana, Cyibitoki province.
Assailants left behind four of their dead, military equipment that include
weapons and communication radios, and dry rations marked “FORCE DE DEFENSE
NATIONALE DU BURUNDI” (Burundi Armed Forces),”
“Three of
the attackers were also captured. Three RDF soldiers sustained minor injuries.
We reassure Rwandans that action will be taken against those responsible. We
are pursuing, through diplomatic channels, precise information about these
repeated attacks,” the Army Spokesperson said.
In the
army statement, the Burundian army said “Burundi cannot be a sanctuary for
armed groups”, but did not comment about the materials and equipment RDF
seized, which are inscribed with the national army insignia.
Burundian
media reported that eyewitnesses who saw the group said that the attackers were
speaking Kinyarwanda and went through Ruhembe and Bumba area, in Bukinanyana
commune and Gafumbegeti, Butahana area in Mabayi commune to Cibitoke Province,
north -West Burundi before crossing over to Ruheru where they planned to attack
an IDP Model Village in Nyaruguru district.
According
to SOS Media, a credible Burundian media outlet, Residents of Ruhembe, which
borders Rwanda say they panicked when they saw heavily armed men earlier around
4pm as they moved towards Rwanda but they were calmed by local authorities who
urged them to keep calm and stay in their homes.
Quoting
reliable sources, the media said that some of the attackers who were injured
when the Rwandan army fought back were retrieved by the Burundian soldiers.
“Two of
the attackers were seriously injured and were evacuated using an FDNB vehicle,”
witnesses told SOS Media Burundi, which added that they were picked up by an
army pick-up, similar to those driven by commanders. The pick up traveled
through Ndora-Bubanza road but it is not yet clear which hospital they were
taken to.
Rwanda
said it is not the first time the armed groups have attacked Rwanda from
Burundi. Similar attacks were launched on the same district which has
part of Nyungwe Forest, in Nyabimata Sector, in June 2018.
The
attacks which claimed scores of people and injured many were attributed to the
Front de Liberation National (FLN) which was led by a one ‘Maj’ Callixte
Nsabimana.
Nsabimana,
who was arrested and deported to Rwanda in April 2019, said in court that they
were facilitated by the late Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza’s
government, to cross over from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and establish
bases in Burundi from where they launched the attacks, which were also repulsed.
Nsabimana,
who is currently on trial, facing 16 terror and treason-related charges, said
that they were backed by several countries in the region including Uganda, from
where they recruited.
In the
ongoing trial of 33 people linked to the terror outfits P5 and Rwanda National
Congress (RNC), suspects intimated how they were facilitated by the Burundian
army in training and later transiting to Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC).
Rwanda maintains that Burundi harbours and supports elements keen on destabilizing Rwanda, including members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). - KTPress
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