Rebels taking advantage of fluid situation

The Rutana incident again highlights the uncertain nature of the country’s Hutu rebel groups who have become increasingly active in recent months. The rebel groups have issued periodic warning statements to foreigners. The recent upsurge in armed attacks against the capital drew attention away from the violence in the rest of the country, but observers note that with the prospect of implementation of the Lusaka ceasefire accord in neighbouring DRC, Burundian rebels - accompanied by Rwandan Interahamwe militia and ex-FAR - have been filtering back into Burundi. Analysts say that with the Arusha peace process teetering, worsened by the ill-health of the facilitator Julius Nyerere, all sides in Burundi are trying to take advantage of the fluid situation.