Tensions flared anew between Burundi and Rwanda on Saturday after Burundi accused its neighbor of backing rebels responsible for a grenade attack in the capital, Bujumbura. The attack, which occurred on Friday, wounded 38 people according to Burundi’s interior ministry, though police sources and witnesses reported at least three fatalities.
Burundi’s government pointed the finger at the RED-Tabara rebel group, a longstanding thorn in their side. The interior ministry spokesman, Pierre Nkurikiye, claimed these “terrorists” were “recruited, trained and even equipped with weapons in Rwanda and by Rwanda.”
Nkurikiye further alleged that the rebels were sent to the Burundian border by Rwanda before infiltrating the country to carry out attacks. RED-Tabara, which emerged in 2011 and operates from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has previously denied any Rwandan support. Rwanda has also consistently rejected claims of backing Burundian rebels.
This latest accusation comes amidst a history of volatile relations between the two East African nations. Burundi closed its border with Rwanda in 2015 amidst similar accusations, only to reopen it in 2022. However, tensions escalated again in January 2024 when Burundi reclosed the border following a rebel attack that claimed civilian lives.
