FDNB Officer Dies in Fighting with AFC/M23-Twirwaneho in Fizi

A captain in the Burundi National Defence Force (FDNB), Eraste Ndayishemeze, has been killed in fighting that pitted Burundian troops against AFC/M23-Twirwaneho militia fighters  rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The officer was killed on Thursday during clashes in the locality known as Point-Zéro in Fizi Territory, South Kivu Province. According to local sources, Burundian forces had launched an offensive in the area when the fighting erupted.

Reports indicate that six other Burundian soldiers were wounded in the confrontation.

Captain Ndayishemeze, 40, was born in Rutovu Commune in Bururi Province, southern Burundi. He joined the Burundian army in 2010 and completed his formal officer training in 2016.

Military sources say he was struck by a drone during the fighting. Prior to his deployment to the DRC, he served as a military instructor with Burundi’s commando unit based in Gitega.

The fallen officer is also reported to have received military training abroad, including in Gabon and China.