DRC: Burundian army joined FDLR in killing civilians – report

Author: Samson Kasujja

• 2023-12-28 05:39:00

A leaked mid-term report by the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) confirmed that Burundian troops are supporting the Congolese army coalition in committing indiscriminate shelling, kidnappings, and targeted assassinations.

Amid the escalating armed conflict in eastern DRC, President Félix Tshisekedi has brought together several militia and terrorist groups, Eastern European mercenaries, the Burundian army, and the Rwandan genocidal militia, FDLR, and Congolese national army in a bid to defeat the M23 rebels.

Despite failing to defeat the rebel group, the Congolese army coalition, which includes the Burundian army, committed atrocities targeting civilians in provinces of eastern DRC.

“Heavy fighting resumed in early October between M23 and FARDC supported by VDP, FDLR, private military companies and Burundian troops,” reads part of the leaked report.

The UN GoE reports that in the context of the struggle to ‘liberate’ territories occupied by the M23, Congolese armed groups adopted the “Wazalendo [true patriots]” banner to gain legitimacy and better position themselves for integration within the Congolese national army, FARDC.

The newly created and government-sponsored armed group coalition Volontaires pour la défense de la Patrie (VDP) triggered a flare-up of violence, as the report notes.

Civilians found themselves in the crosshairs of the different parties to the conflict, exposed to retaliation and forced to flee. Indiscriminate shelling, kidnappings, and targeted assassinations were committed.

A secret bilateral defence pact signed in August by Tshisekedi and Burundi’s Évariste Ndayishimiye saw Gitega deploying over 6,000 soldiers to eastern DRC.

Tshisekedi planned such that as the polls approached, the main mission of all Burundian soldiers in DRC had to be protecting him, his allies, and voting centers. After the polls, all the Burundian troops would be deployed in eastern DRC to support the Congolese army coalition in fighting M23 rebels.

Sources close to the FARDC command, corroborated by multiple sources, reported to the UN GoE that 1,070 troops of the Burundian army, FDNB, wearing FARDC uniforms, were covertly deployed since early October along the Sake-Kitchanga road with the aim of securing Masisi territory against M23, together with FARDC and “Wazalendo".

According to the report, starting from September 21, FDNB troops were airlifted from Bujumbura to Goma by FARDC aircraft containing FARDC uniforms and equipment, and deployed to and around Minova, in South Kivu Province.

On October 7, two FDNB companies deployed from Minova to Kabati, several kilometers east of Kitchanga. On October 16, at the FARDC’s request, the private military company Congo Protection (CP) transported six trucks of FDNB troops wearing FARDC uniforms to Kitchanga.

The report states that FDNB deployment continued until at least October 20. The FDNB troops alongside FARDC and "Wazalendo", were subsequently involved in clashes with M23 around Kitchanga and Kilolirwe.

This deployment was outside the EACRF framework. According to the East Africa Community Regional Force commander, Burundian troops involved in the Masisi area of operations were considered as legitimate forces only if part of EACRF.

Military headquarters and the Government in Burundi denied FDNB deployment in North Kivu outside the EACRF framework. Congolese Minister of Defence Jean- Pierre Bemba and Gen Cirimwami also told the UN GoE they were unaware of any bilateral FDNB-FARDC cooperation.

However, according to sources close to FARDC command, FARDC and armed group sources, Gen Cirimwami ordered and commanded FDNB deployment upon instruction of his military hierarchy.

The M23 denounced FDNB deployment outside EACRF framework. On many occasions, the rebel group paraded captured Burundian troops in FARDC uniforms.

The report’s confirmation of Burundian army’s involvement in the ongoing atrocities in eastern DRC follows the allegations by the M23, of Burundian army joining FDLR and other militia groups in killing the Congolese Tutsi, burning their houses and looting their property.