Rwandan, Burundian soldiers involved in shooting incident

11 Mai 2020

Kigali, Rwanda, May 11 (Infosplusgabon) - Rwandan and Burundian soldiers have been involved in a shooting incident along their common border when a group of fishermen from Burundi allegedly illegally crossed into Rwandan waters in Lake Rweru in the southeast of the country, a Rwandan military statement said on Sunday.

The statement issued by the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) said that while Rwandan soldiers were ordering the fishermen to return to their country, Burundian soldiers intervened from their side and started shooting, triggering a retaliation from Rwandan soldiers.

Rwanda Defence Forces suffered no casualties during the gunfire exchange and "the attackers" returned to Burundi, the statement said.

The border between Rwanda and Burundi is a known demarcation line in the middle of Lake Rweru that is easily identifiable using technology like the GPS, the statement said.

Relations between the two countries soured in 2015, when protests erupted in Burundi against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a controversial third term in office. Burundi accused Kigali of masterminding the 2015 failed coup, a charge Kigali has denied.

Rwanda has accused Burundi of sheltering rebels who are accused of committing the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/IOP/GABON2020

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