Rwanda refutes 'unfounded' allegation of involvement in armed attack in Burundi
Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - The latest accusations that Rwanda has been involved in any attack on Burundian soil are "totally unfounded", Rwanda's minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta, said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters in Kigali, he noted that Rwanda has instead recently experienced a number of attacks from armed groups from Burundi.
"We are aware that these attacks were perpetrated from Burundi," he said.
In November last year, Burundian government spokesperson Prosper Ntahorwamiye said that the Rwandan army launched an overnight assault against a military post at Mount Twinyoni, in northwestern Burundi's Cibitoke province that borders Rwanda.
The Burundian authorities have not given official confirmation about the number of casualties, but media reports say at least eight Burundian soldiers were killed.
Burundi has repeatedly accused Rwanda of involvement in the 2015 abortive coup. Rwanda has ignored Burundi’s accusations.
Since June 2017, a group calling itself Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) has been attacking southwestern regions of Rwanda. The group, according to court hearing of captured FLN spokesman Nsabimana Callixte a.k.a. Maj Sankara, was given passage by Burundi intelligence enroute from South Kivu, DRC.
"We have evidence of these attacks from Burundi," Dr Biruta told reporters in Kigali.
Meanwhile, he said that Rwanda was also looking forward to working closely with all of its neighbours, including Burundi.
"The major purpose is to strengthen peace and cooperation in our region," he said.
-0- PANA TWA/MA 9Jan2020
