The spokesperson of the Burundi ministry of Interior and public security, Pierre Nkurikiye this Saturday May 11th revealed that atleast 38 people were injured in the Friday evening attack at a bus station in Bujumbura.
“6 people have so far been arrested in the ongoing crackdown of perpetrators who have conducted grenade attacks around Bujumbura,” said the spokesman.
According to the Burundian authorities two suspects were arrested as they attempted to plot attacks, “according to the investigation and what they (suspects) say, they are trained and supported by Rwanda. Where later they join Red Tabara who then enter the country to carry out attacks,” said Pierre Nkurikiye.
“We call on citizens to play their role in giving out information so that these people are caught and arrested on time. This is a fight for all of us to fight terrorism,” he added.
Armed attacks in Burundi have been witnessed since the beginning of this year with a rebel group based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Red Tabara) claiming the attacks that led to dozens of people being killed.
Burundi had since late last year closed its borders with the neighboring Rwanda, accusing Kigali of supporting and harboring the Red Tabara rebels that have continued to attack the country. An allegation that Rwanda has repeatedly denied.
Red Tabara is a rebel group that was formed and came to be known in 2015 after the failed coup attempt to oust president Pierre Nkurunziza, according to the Burundian government the mastermind of the 2015 attempted coup fled to neighboring Rwanda who then gained support, shelter and finance to create the Red Tabara rebel group.
Gitega’s relation with Rwanda continued to deteriorate after Kigali turned down the request to handover the 2015 failed coup plotters to Burundi.