In a tragic incident near Burundi’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, assailants suspected to be the Reb Tabara group carried out a brutal assault, claiming the lives of at least 20 individuals and leaving nine others wounded.
The government, addressing reporters on Saturday, provided details of the attack, attributing it to the Reb Tabara rebel group.
The assault unfolded on Friday night in the village of Vugizo, resulting in a devastating toll that included 12 children, two pregnant women, and a police officer, as reported by government spokesperson Jerome Niyonzima. The sheer brutality of the attack underscores the impact on vulnerable members of the community.
The Reb Tabara rebel group, engaged in a longstanding conflict with Burundi’s government from bases in eastern Congo since 2015, asserted responsibility for the attack on the social media platform X. Their claim included the assertion of having killed nine soldiers and one police officer, adding a layer of complexity to the situation.
Local residents, deeply affected by the violence, recounted hearing harrowing sounds of gunfire and explosions during the assault, amplifying the terror experienced by the community. The attack serves as a grim reminder of the persistent threat faced by civilians caught in the crossfire of ongoing conflicts.
This is not the first time Reb Tabara has made headlines for its acts of violence. In September, the rebel group declared responsibility for an attack on the country’s international airport in Bujumbura, claiming to have destroyed equipment. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in that incident, but it highlighted the group’s capability to target key infrastructure.
As the community mourns the loss of innocent lives and grapples with the aftermath of this heinous act, the incident underscores the urgent need for heightened security measures and international attention to address the complex and volatile situation in the region.
