KAMPALA, Uganda — Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye has accused Rwanda of planning to attack his country, citing credible intelligence, according to an exclusive interview with the BBC.
“We have seen credible intelligence that Rwanda plans to attack Burundi,” Ndayishimiye said. “They would say it’s an internal problem when it’s Rwanda [who is] the problem. We know that he [Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame] has a plan to attack Burundi.”
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Rwanda has denied the allegations, calling them “surprising” and insisting that the two nations are cooperating on security plans for their shared border, which has been closed for over a year.
The Burundian president stated that his country has evidence of Rwanda’s involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He blamed external forces for perpetuating the conflict, stating that they do not want peace in the DRC because they want to continue looting its resources.
Ndayishimiye emphasized the need for dialogue to resolve the issues, but warned that his country would not sit idle if attacked. He called for the expansion of international forces’ mandate in DR Congo to engage rebels and ensure the safety of Burundi’s borders.
The conflict in DR Congo has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, with some seeking refuge in Burundi. Ndayishimiye denied that the Burundi-DR Congo border was closed, stating that refugees were free to return to their country.
The situation remains critical, with Southern Africa leaders announcing the withdrawal of their forces from DR Congo after at least 19 were killed. Burundi’s president stated that his country’s forces will not be withdrawn from DR Congo until Burundi is assured that its borders are safe.
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