For three weeks, members of the youth league of the CNDD-FDD party have been receiving paramilitary training in Cibitoke province (northwest Burundi). Local sources say that beneficiaries of the training are then sent on missions in the DRC. Residents of Cibitoke say they are terrified. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Paramilitary training is given to Imbonerakure from different districts in Cibitoke province, according to our sources.

« The training takes place at the province’s football field. There, they learn to handle weapons after having carried out physical exercises, » report residents.

Then, they go to Cishemere village in Buganda district for practical shooting exercises.

« They explode grenades, shoot machine guns and other rifles. It’s really scary, » residents of Buganda told SOS Médias Burundi.

According to our sources in Cibitoke, the Imbonerakure who receive training are then sent to the DRC to fight alongside Burundian soldiers who are officially deployed there.

Parents of young people deployed in Congo are worried about the safety of their children. They say that « we fear for the safety of our children. »

« We know that there are Imbonerakure who left to fight in the DRC but never came back. They are probably dead. It’s really terrifying, » they say.

Administration and youth league officials of the CNDD-FDD party in Cibitoke deny the allegations even though this training is done in broad daylight.

A military official at the Cibitoke barrack speaks of military exercises that have nothing to do with the Imbonerakure.

In recent years, several reports from national and international human rights organizations as well as sources from SOS Médias Burundi have confirmed the presence of the Imbonerakure on the Congolese territory.

Several families whose members died on the battlefield have been prevented from mourning.