Terrorist attack kills 9 in northwest Burundi

DOUALA, Cameroon

Nine people were killed and five injured Sunday evening in a terrorist attack in the locality of Buringa in northwestern Burundi, an official said Monday.

Nine people were killed when terrorists from the RED-Tabara group armed with rifles attacked a household in the locality of Buringa in Bubanza province, Jerome Niyonzima, a government official, said in a press release.

This "cowardly" attack caused the death of nine people, including six women and a soldier, the official said, adding that five people, including three women, were also injured.

The Burundian government also accused Rwanda of training and arming the RED-Tabara terrorist group, the main armed group fighting the East African government.

This type of attack attributed to the RED-Tabara group is not new. They killed 20 people, including women and children, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Dec. 22, 2023, according to the government.

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye accused Rwanda of supporting these rebels, accusations that Rwanda denied.

In January, the Burundian authorities decided to close its borders with Rwanda. This same decision was taken in 2015 before reopening in 2022.

Both countries accuse each other of supporting rebels.