Military Training Reported in Kibira Forest Involving Imbonerakure and Foreign Fighters

Reports from Burundi indicate that intensive military training has been taking place for more than two weeks in Kibira National Park, located in Bukinanyana commune in Bujumbura province.

According to information gathered by SOS Médias Burundi, the training reportedly involves members of the Imbonerakure who had previously been deployed to fight in Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as fighters who speak Kinyarwanda.

Presence of Foreign Trainers

Local residents living near the Kibira forest say the exercises include foreign participants. Some of those undergoing training reportedly wear military uniforms resembling those of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Burundi National Defence Force, which sources say may be intended to make the activities appear like routine military operations.

Witnesses claim that several of the trainees speak Swahili, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, or French, suggesting a diverse group of participants. Some residents also allege that foreign instructors, including individuals described as Westerners, are assisting Burundian soldiers in conducting the training.

Military Logistics and Restrictions on Civilians

Residents report seeing military trucks transporting food supplies and other materials to the training site inside the forest. In some cases, locals say they have been ordered to provide food to support those participating in the exercises.

At the same time, communities living near the forest say they have been barred from accessing farmland located within the Kibira area, a restriction that has caused growing concern among villagers who rely on those fields for their livelihoods.

One resident told SOS Médias Burundi:

“We no longer go to our fields. Before these activities began, we were told there would be military exercises and that we should not be afraid. But now the fear is real because we constantly hear gunfire. We have no choice but to endure it.”

Growing Tension Among Local Communities

Residents say the ongoing exercises have created anxiety among nearby communities, as the sound of gunfire is frequently heard from the forest.

While authorities have not publicly commented on the reported activities, local sources insist that Burundian soldiers are overseeing the training with the assistance of foreign instructors.