The Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) and FDLR and the Imbonerakure militia have reportedly been involved in clashes in Kibira, Bukinanyana Commune in north-western Burundi. According to media reports, the conflicts broke out from March 11 to 13, being triggered by the FDLR's attempt to obtain food from the local population in the particular areas of Butahana where certain government, military, and police officials allegedly are housing and feeding the militia, in addition to supplying them with weapons. ALSO READ: Nduhungirehe sheds light on Rwanda, Burundi talks The sources said the Burundian army seems to have changed its stance on the FDLR, a group linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and is now trying to force it to leave its territory back to DR Congo. Thousands of Burundian soldiers have fought alongside the FDLR as part of the Congolese government coalition against the AFC/M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo. The FDLR, a UN-designated terror group was founded by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has been collaborating with Burundian forces and the Congolese government forces in eastern DR Congo for a long period of time, something that Rwanda has always called out as a threat to regional security. The clashes were reported at a time Rwanda and Burundi are engaged in normalization of diplomatic relations, which had been affected by Burundi’s alignment with DR Congo’s regime change threats to Rwanda and the FDLR, which has attacked Rwanda over the past two decades.
