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Defence minister accuses Tanzania of complicity in rebel attacks

    NAIROBI

    Burundi Defence Minister Cyrille Ndayirukiye has accused Tanzania of hypocrisy regarding its role in brokering the Burundi peace talks - due to take place this week - and of tolerating Burundi rebels on Tanzanian territory.

    "This is a serious contradiction,” Ndayirukiye said on Saturday on Radio Burundi. “This is the country which was the other day saying that it was assisting Burundi by bringing rebel groups to the ceasefire round table. At the same time, one can see at its border a military organisation, interaction between [Burundi] rebels and the [Tanzanian] population on the Tanzanian side."

    He said that Tanzanian border authorities were aware of these contacts and that there was “a conspiracy of silence”. Tanzania, home to some 800,000 Burundi refugees, has repeatedly denied allegations of being used as a Burundi rebel stronghold and recruitment site.

    On 12 July, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Burundi expressed concern at "the rapidly deteriorating" security situation in the country's east and southeastern provinces. The humanitarian community remained "on high alert" over the weekend throughout the eastern province of Ruyigi, and southern provinces of Rutana and Makamba.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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