Goma, September 1, 2025 – Congolese politician Moïse Nyarugabo has accused Burundi of deploying more than 10,000 troops to the highlands of Minembwe and surrounding areas in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), claiming they have joined forces with the Congolese army, Mai Mai militias, and FDLR/Interahamwe in a campaign to eradicate the Banyamulenge ethnic community.
Speaking at a press conference in Goma, Nyarugabo said the plan, which began in 2017, has already claimed thousands of lives. He alleged that more than 400 villages have been burned, over 500,000 cattle looted, and tens of thousands of Banyamulenge forced to flee to refugee camps in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Kenya, while others scattered across foreign countries.
According to Nyarugabo, Burundi justified its presence in eastern Congo under the pretext of fighting the rebel group RED Tabara. However, he said Burundian troops have instead coordinated with local Mai Mai fighters to attack Banyamulenge civilians. He further claimed that drones launched from Bujumbura and Kisangani have been conducting airstrikes on Minembwe in recent days, killing villagers.
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He urged Burundi to withdraw from what he called “Kinshasa’s genocidal agenda” and, if truly committed to fighting RED Tabara, to work alongside MRDP-Twirwaneho, a self-defense movement created by the Banyamulenge.
Nyarugabo also criticized some Banyamulenge figures serving in the Congolese government, including Lt. Gen. Pacifique Masunzu and Urban Development Minister Alexis Gisaro, accusing them of suffering from “Stockholm Syndrome” by downplaying atrocities against their own people.
Calling on the international community to intervene, Nyarugabo warned that the Banyamulenge would not surrender to extermination.
“We will not allow ourselves to be wiped out. Those who kill us will one day be held accountable – even if they are in Kinshasa,” he said.
