Kagame Accuses Burundi of Concealing Military Role in Eastern DRC Conflict

Kigali - President Paul Kagame has accused Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye of attempting to conceal Burundi’s military involvement in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), revealing that Burundian soldiers were captured during fighting in North Kivu despite official denials from Bujumbura.

Burundi initially deployed troops to eastern DRC as part of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in North Kivu province, where their mandate was to separate warring parties and facilitate peace negotiations.

In late 2023, however, President Félix Tshisekedi ordered the expulsion of the EACRF from Masisi territory in North Kivu. While the regional force was withdrawn, Burundian troops remained, but with a new mandate to fight the M23 movement, according to President Kagame.

Following the EACRF’s departure, the Burundian government increased its military presence in North Kivu under a bilateral agreement with the DRC, coinciding with the deployment of troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Speaking after the swearing-in of leaders on December 11, 2025, President Kagame said he personally telephoned President Ndayishimiye to question why Burundian forces were still operating in the DRC after the EACRF had been expelled.

According to Kagame, Ndayishimiye initially justified the deployment by citing security threats emanating from Congo, particularly in southern areas such as Uvira and Minembwe. Kagame said he then questioned why Burundian troops were operating in North Kivu, far from those locations.

“He said to me, ‘Who told you that we have troops there?’” Kagame recounted. “I told him that I had been shown evidence, but that I wanted to hear it from him directly. He replied, ‘Whoever told you lied. There are no troops in your north.’ I said, ‘That’s good. Since you say so, I believe you.’”

Kagame said that shortly after the conversation, numerous Burundian soldiers were captured during fighting in North Kivu. He added that during subsequent regional heads-of-state meetings, the Burundian president continued to deny that his troops had been captured.

“Many were captured in the fighting,” Kagame said. “When this was raised in meetings, some leaders denied it, while others confronted them, asking, ‘If you deny your soldiers, do you no longer want them?’”

By January 2025, Kagame said, M23 fighters had seized areas previously held by Burundian forces in North Kivu, and had also pushed them out of parts of South Kivu, including Minova, Kavumu, and Bukavu.

President Kagame further claimed that Burundi deployed more than 20,000 troops across eastern and central DRC, including South Kivu, Kalemie in Tanganyika province, Kindu in Maniema, Kisangani in Tshopo, and Walikale in North Kivu.

He alleged that Burundian forces have killed numerous Congolese civilians, particularly in the Minembwe area, which links the territories of Uvira, Fizi, and Mwenga, accusing them of using heavy long-range weapons and combat drones.

President Kagame criticized the international community for what he described as silence and inaction in the face of Burundi’s alleged military operations in the eastern DRC, warning that the situation continues to fuel instability and civilian suffering in the region.