The RED-Tabara rebels have always rejected President Evariste Ndayishimiye’s invitation to dialogue, recalling that they set as a prerequisite “the negotiation of the conditions for organizing democratic, free, inclusive and transparent elections”.

Twenty people, including 19 civilians, were killed Friday evening in western Burundi, in an attack claimed by the rebel group RED-Tabara.

This is the second action carried out in less than two weeks by these rebels on Burundian soil.

Since the end of 2021, their fighting has been concentrated in the province of South Kivu, in the DRC, where Burundian forces were sent to hunt them down, according to africanews.

Created in 2011 and with a workforce estimated at between 500 and 800 men, RED-Tabara is accused of being responsible for several attacks and ambushes in Burundi since 2015.

Arriving in power in June 2020 after the sudden death of Pierre Nkurunziza, President Evariste Ndayishimiye has repeatedly said he is ready to “dialogue” with rebel groups, notably RED-Tabara and the National Liberation Forces (FNL).

RED-Tabara rejected this invitation, recalling in particular in a press release on November 13 that it set as a prerequisite “the negotiation of the conditions for organizing democratic, free, inclusive and transparent elections”.