By Reuters
Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye said he had seen “credible intelligence” that Rwanda has a plan to attack his country, whose forces have battled Rwandan-backed rebels in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
He did not elaborate on the alleged plan, which was dismissed by Rwanda, and said he hoped the problem could be resolved through dialogue.
“We know that he has a plan to attack Burundi,” Ndayishimiye told the BBC in an interview, referring to Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
“Burundians will not accept to be killed as Congolese are being killed. Burundian people are fighters,” he said.
Rwanda’s foreign minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, described the statement as “unfortunate”, adding in a post on X that the two countries were holding discussions and had agreed on the need for military and verbal de-escalation.
Ndayishimiye’s comments underscored the regional stakes of the conflict in eastern Congo, where an advance by M23 rebels since January
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