Burundi army says rebels in Congo plan joint attack

BUJUMBURA – Three militias in eastern Congo are plotting a joint attack on Burundi and Rwanda, Burundi’s army said on Monday as it prepared to welcome UN Security Council officials touring Africa’s troubled Great Lakes region.

Major Adolphe Manirakiza said the plans were revealed by a fighter from Rwanda’s ethnic Hutu rebels, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), who was captured on Sunday on Burundi’s border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Manirakiza said the fighter told them he was sent by the FDLR, Hutu rebels from Burundi’s Forces for National Liberation (FNL) and Congolese Mai-Mai militiamen to locate targets ahead of what he said would be a joint assault.”According to the captured fighter’s revelations, they are preparing to attack our capital Bujumbura and the northwestern provinces of Burundi, and after that to attack neighbouring Rwanda,” Manirakiza told a news conference.An FDLR battalion – about 700 fighters – is based near the DRC town of Uvira by Lake Tanganyika, Manirakiza added.Rwandan and Congolese officials were not immediately available for comment.The FDLR is made up of fighters from the former Armed Forces of Rwanda and Interahamwe militia blamed for Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, when some 800 000 people were slaughtered.The army spokesman said the captive told them he was sent to identify military bases in Burundi to attack before crossing into Rwanda where he was to locate more targets.”He also affirmed he had a mission of establishing contacts with Rwandan Hutu asylum seekers who are in northern Burundi, in order to ease the infiltration into Rwanda,” Manirakiza added.He said the captive had been with a second man who drowned in the Rusizi River as he tried to flee Burundian troops.The UN officials are due to fly into Burundi from DRC on Monday before making brief stops in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.The group, which is led by France’s Security Council envoy Jean-Marc de la Sabliere and includes 11 ambassadors, met DRC President Joseph Kabila on Monday to discuss preparations for elections next year and insecurity in Congo’s lawless east.The jungles of eastern DRC have become home to a host of armed militias including rebels from Burundi, Uganda and Rwanda.Burundi’s army spokesman said the FNL was now a regional problem and should be disarmed along with all militias in DRC.- Nampa-ReutersManirakiza said the fighter told them he was sent by the FDLR, Hutu rebels from Burundi’s Forces for National Liberation (FNL) and Congolese Mai-Mai militiamen to locate targets ahead of what he said would be a joint assault.”According to the captured fighter’s revelations, they are preparing to attack our capital Bujumbura and the northwestern provinces of Burundi, and after that to attack neighbouring Rwanda,” Manirakiza told a news conference.An FDLR battalion – about 700 fighters – is based near the DRC town of Uvira by Lake Tanganyika, Manirakiza added.Rwandan and Congolese officials were not immediately available for comment.The FDLR is made up of fighters from the former Armed Forces of Rwanda and Interahamwe militia blamed for Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, when some 800 000 people were slaughtered.The army spokesman said the captive told them he was sent to identify military bases in Burundi to attack before crossing into Rwanda where he was to locate more targets.”He also affirmed he had a mission of establishing contacts with Rwandan Hutu asylum seekers who are in northern Burundi, in order to ease the infiltration into Rwanda,” Manirakiza added.He said the captive had been with a second man who drowned in the Rusizi River as he tried to flee Burundian troops.The UN officials are due to fly into Burundi from DRC on Monday before making brief stops in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.The group, which is led by France’s Security Council envoy Jean-Marc de la Sabliere and includes 11 ambassadors, met DRC President Joseph Kabila on Monday to discuss preparations for elections next year and insecurity in Congo’s lawless east.The jungles of eastern DRC have become home to a host of armed militias including rebels from Burundi, Uganda and Rwanda.Burundi’s army spokesman said the FNL was now a regional problem and should be disarmed along with all militias in DRC.- Nampa-Reuters