Burundi is pulling its forces from eastern Congo, where they had been fighting alongside Congolese troops against M23 rebels, four sources confirmed Tuesday, dealing another setback to Congo’s military as it struggles to contain the rebels’ rapid advance.
The withdrawal comes as the U.N. human rights office accuses M23 of executing children in Bukavu, one of the two largest cities in eastern Congo that have fallen to the rebels in recent weeks.
“The Burundian troops are withdrawing from the Democratic Republic of Congo. A number of trucks filled with military personnel have arrived in the country since yesterday,” a Burundian army officer told The Associated Press. Two U.N. sources and an African diplomat also confirmed the troop movements.
Burundian forces had fought alongside Congolese troops in an attempt to defend Kavumu, home to the airport serving Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. Bukavu fell over the weekend in the rebels’ most significant gain since they seized Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, in late January.
Burundi has deployed forces in eastern Congo for years, initially to target Burundian rebel groups, but more recently to support the fight against M23. However, an M23 source said not all Burundian troops had left, and a resident of South Kivu reported some were still on the Congolese side of the border.
Escalating Violence and Human Rights Abuses
The U.N. human rights office warned Tuesday that conditions for civilians in eastern Congo were worsening, citing reports of summary executions and sexual violence.
“Our office has confirmed cases of summary executions of children by M23 after they entered the city of Bukavu last week,” U.N. spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in Geneva.
Three boys, likely no older than 15, were killed after they refused to surrender weapons they had taken from an abandoned military camp, she said.
More than 10,000 Congolese refugees have fled into Burundi in recent days, with numbers reaching as high as 15,000, straining resources at overcrowded transit centers, according to Matthew Saltmarsh, a spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency. Some refugees drowned while attempting to cross the Ruzizi River into Burundi, he added.
“(Refugees) are exhausted and traumatized. Many have been separated from their families with little information on their whereabouts,” Saltmarsh said.
Regional Tensions and Resource Struggles
M23, a well-armed ethnic Tutsi-led rebel group, is the latest in a long line of militias in eastern Congo, a region rich in minerals such as cobalt and tantalum—key components in electric vehicles and mobile devices.
Congo has accused neighboring Rwanda of backing M23 with arms and troops, a claim supported by the U.N. and Western governments. Rwanda denies the allegations, arguing that it is defending itself against Hutu militias operating in Congo.
As fighting continues, there are signs of shifting dynamics. Ports in Goma and Bukavu reopened Tuesday, allowing limited boat traffic on Lake Kivu, which could improve access to humanitarian aid after weeks of violence and looting. However, Goma’s airport, described by the U.N. as a critical aid lifeline, remains closed.
In a separate development, Uganda’s military said it had entered the eastern Congolese city of Bunia with approval from Congolese authorities to curb militia attacks in the area.
