Burundian troops, estimated at 200, have been deployed to Bibogobogo in the Fizi territory of South Kivu, with their main objective being to encourage the youth of the Banyamulenge community and adults not to support the Twirwaneho and M23 groups.
These Burundian troops are currently in Bibogobogo, having arrived at the end of March and the beginning of this month, April.
They are stationed in the Ugeafi area, some at the Ep-Bora school, while others are across from these schools, in this area of Bibogobogo adjacent to them.
As explained, these soldiers mainly encourage the youth of the Banyamulenge and the elders to deny and avoid anything that would connect them with the Twirwaneho and M23 groups. They also tell the Banyamulenge that as long as they avoid these groups, they will live in peace.
Furthermore, there is no Mai Mai group that will attack them again.
However, in previous attacks, the Banyamulenge in Bibogobogo were targeted by those Mai Mai groups, and the Congolese soldiers in the area did not come to their rescue. Reports indicate that they arrived to engage in combat only after those who had launched the attacks had been pushed back.
The FARDC is stationed in Bibogobogo on a hill called Musaraba, with around 50 soldiers under the command of Colonel Ntagawa Rubaba.
Additionally, the Burundian soldiers encourage the youth of the Banyamulenge and the elders to support the government in Kinshasa and to submit to it, and they are also encouraged to join the army of this country.
Moreover, it has been reported that these Burundian soldiers in this area: “They eat rice, cassava, and they eat bread sparingly, as they only eat it when they are with the local population.”
Moreover, they often visit the residents, but as they visit, they force them to stay away from Twirwaneho and M23.