APA – Kigali (Rwanda) A spokesperson of the M23 rebel movement, on Tuesday confirmed the detention of “several dozen” Burundian soldiers captured recently in the battlefield from Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while fighting alongside Congolese government forces (FARDC).
According to Lawrence Kanyuka M23’s political spokesperson, the group of detained Burundian soldiers were captured while attempting to break through M23 defences.
“The majority of the prisoners of war were captured from the battlefield,” Kanyuka told APA in a brief interview without elaborating on the number of captured Burundian soldiers.
Earlier last month, M23 rebels confirmed that a Burundi contingent backing DR Congo is in charge of the villages of Mushaki, Karubam Kitchanga and Mwesso ”where members of the Tutsi community continue to be killed, their property destroyed and are forced to abandon their ancestral land”.
The M23 also said that Burundian soldiers have been seen in battle wearing DR Congo military uniforms and have established their headquarters in the village of Minova.
On Monday, Rwandan President Paul Kagame received Ambassador Gervais Abayeho, Minister of East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture of Burundi and his delegation, who delivered a message from his Burundian counterpart.
The Burundian official relayed the message during talks in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.
CU/as/APA