Burundi, Rwanda tensions rise with 5 killed in two weeks

TENSION between Burundi and Rwanda continues to rise and has claimed the lives of more than five people in two weeks.

Last weekend, Rwanda Defence Forces spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Rene Ngendahimana announced that an armed group had crossed into Burundi after it had attacked a local patrol team, claiming the lives of two victims on Rwandan soil.

Sources say fliers were found near the attack site bearing the name of FDD – Force for Democracy Defence, the old name for the armed branch of the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD.

Sources in the Rwandan army, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers are suspected to be members of the Imbonerakure, a group of the ruling party youth seen by the UN as a militia.

A week ago, three Burundians were killed while fishing at Cohoha Lake on the border between Burundi and Rwanda.

“They had crossed the border and were fishing in Rwanda waters,” Burundi police spokesperson Pierre Nkurikiye said on his Twitter account, without mentioning that they had been killed.

However, Burundi officials speaking anonymously, blamed the Rwandan army for opening fire on the fishermen, leaving three dead and one wounded.

The Burundi crisis that started in April 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza said he would run for re-election, strained Burundi-Rwanda ties – especially when Rwanda started hosting coup plotters, including General Godefroid Niyombare, who led a failed coup. Burundi accused Rwanda of hosting and training rebels.