Burundi coordinated 2019 deadly attacks in northern Rwanda
Burundi prepared, trained, and coordinated assailants who carried out a deadly attack on villages in northern Rwanda’s Musanze District in 2019, killing more than a dozen people and injuring hundreds.
A confidential report compiled by the Congolese intelligence service in February 2019, of which our site accessed a copy, details the activities of a coalition of armed groups operating under the banner of the “P5 Platform,” formed with the objective of overthrowing the Rwandan government.
According to the report, the coalition brought together several groups and figures, including the RNC, led by former Rwandan army officer Kayumba Nyamwasa; FDU-Inkingi, headed by Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza; CNRD-FLN, associated with Paul Rusesabagina and Callixte Nsabimana, also known as Sankara; RUD-Urunana, led by Nshimiyimana Cassien; and the FDLR militia under the leadership of Victor Byiringiro.
The report states that the coalition’s objective was to destabilize the Government of Rwanda. It further states that the Burundian government coordinated, supervised, and trained fighters at a base in Bijabo, located in Groupement de Balala-Sud, Secteur Tanganyika, Fizi Territory, in eastern DRC.
On the night of January 22, 2019, more than 1,500 FDLR fighters based in Masisi Territory, North Kivu, arrived in the sub-village of Shanje in Lowa-Numbi village, Groupement de Buzi, Chefferie de Buhavu. According to the document, they intended to link up with P5 elements under the command of Nyamwasa as part of a broader plan to launch operations against Rwanda. The platform apparently sought to establish a rear base in Burundi and enter Rwanda by force, with logistical backing and coordination from Burundian authorities.
A senior Burundian official—Ambassador Agricole Ntirampeba Mwamba, then serving as Special Adviser to the President—was reportedly tasked with coordinating the regional activities of FDLR. The document states that his role included facilitating collaboration among armed groups to consolidate a coalition capable of challenging, and potentially overthrowing, the government in Kigali.
In October 2019, Rwanda experienced its deadliest attack since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Around 67 fighters drawn from armed groups linked to the P5 platform and RUD-Urunana crossed into Rwanda through Kinigi, a tourist hub in Musanze District near the border with eastern DRC.
According to official accounts, the assailants killed 14 residents and injured hundreds more. Homes and businesses were looted, with shops ransacked and food supplies stolen.
Rwandan security forces later launched operations against the attackers, killing several and capturing others. Those apprehended were subsequently tried before Rwanda’s Military High Court in Kigali. Prosecutors charged them with offenses including membership in an illegal armed group, attempting to wage war to overthrow the government, and terrorism.
Burundi’s ties with the FDLR
Burundi’s links to FDLR are described as long-standing. Reports indicate that the country has provided shelter to FDLR members and that some of the militia’s businesses have operated in Burundi.
On December 5, 2019, the then commander of CNRD/FLN, Lt. General Wilson Wilson Irategeka, was facilitated by Burundi officials to go for medical treatment in Bujumbura via Nyangezi-Ngomo and Kamanyora, in South Kivu province. The Congolese army (FARDC) in South Kivu supported him by providing a motorcycle as a means of transport and ensured his security.
A Burundian ambassador to Kinshasa and former FDLR member, Ntirampeba, is reported to have facilitated communication between President Félix Tshisekedi and FDLR, enabling joint military operations involving the Congolese army, Burundi’s army, and the Rwandan genocidal militia against AFC/M23 rebels.
When recently asked about Burundi’s relationship with FDLR, President Évariste Ndayishimiye acknowledged collaboration with the militia, reportedly justifying it with the adage, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Although Ndayishimiye has portrayed himself as a regional victim, critics argue that his approach and continued engagement with armed groups have contributed to instability in the Great Lakes Region, leaving it vulnerable to ongoing conflict.
