Bomb Hits Burundi as M23, DRC War Expands

“Such provocation is unacceptable and appropriate actions will be taken to protect the Burundian population,” Bizimana said in a statement issued late on Friday.

A telecommunication station was hit in Kamanyola, DRC which is under rebel M23 control

Burundi has accused AFC/M23 rebels operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of firing bombs into its territory, marking the most serious spillover of the conflict into a neighbouring state since fighting escalated in South Kivu this week.

Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana said explosives landed on Burundian territory on 5 December, describing the incident as a direct threat to national security.

He did not specify the exact location or whether there were casualties, but warned that Bujumbura would not tolerate further breaches of its sovereignty.

“Such provocation is unacceptable and appropriate actions will be taken to protect the Burundian population,” Bizimana said in a statement issued late on Friday.

Officials told ChimpReports this Saturday morning the bombs hit Chibitoke, a city located in northwestern Burundi, near the border of Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The escalation comes only days after regional leaders, including Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, attended peace talks in Washington aimed at charting a path out of the prolonged conflict in eastern Congo.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ndayishimiye welcomed the accord as ushering in “a time for hope,” but cautioned that the real challenge lay ahead.

“Committing oneself is something, but implementing is something else,” he said, warning that the credibility of the agreement would depend on strict adherence to security commitments on all sides.

Rejects Accusation

AFC/M23 issued a sharply worded communiqué on Friday denying responsibility for the cross-border strike.

Instead, the group accused Burundi and Kinshasa of coordinating air and artillery operations that have struck densely populated areas of North and South Kivu for more than three days.

The rebels alleged that the bombardments had killed 23 civilians and injured many others, describing the attacks as “barbaric,” “terrorist,” and part of a planned offensive intended to “exterminate” Congolese communities in the east.

“Bombs fired from Burundian territory have fallen without interruption on our villages, killing women and children,” the group said in a statement signed in Goma.

Burundi has been increasingly drawn into the conflict as it backs Congolese forces battling AFC/M23.

Reports have previously indicated Burundian troop deployments and drone operations in South Kivu, support that Bujumbura rarely acknowledges publicly.

Any verified cross-border strike could inflame an already volatile situation and widen the conflict beyond Congo’s borders.

The latest accusations come at a delicate moment, with Washington urging strict compliance with the commitments made during the peace talks.