Burundi has recovered 20 of its soldiers who were captured in combat by the M23 rebel movement since 2023. In return, M23 received the same number of its fighters who had been detained by Burundian authorities, according to reliable sources cited by BBC Gahuzamiryango.
The exchange took place on Friday, July 25, 2025, at the Gasenyi-Nemba border post between Rwanda and Burundi. Although the information had begun circulating on social media the week before, it was later confirmed by sources familiar with the matter.
On the M23 side, military spokesperson Willy Ngoma refused to confirm or deny the operation, replying with a simple “no comment.” Burundi’s government also neither confirmed nor denied the event. General Gaspard Baratuza, spokesperson for the Burundian army, stated: “If it was done, that’s a good thing. It falls under international law governing armed conflicts.”
According to sources, the released Burundian soldiers were first transported through the city of Goma and handed over to the Rwandan military, who then escorted them through Kigali to the Gasenyi-Nemba border. Conversely, Rwandan troops also accompanied the M23 fighters released by Burundi back across the border.
It is not yet clear where the M23 fighters had been held or how long they had been imprisoned in Burundi. However, sources indicate that out of the 20 Burundian soldiers released, 11 had been captured between 2023 and 2024, while the other 9 were seized during fighting that took place in 2025.
A large number of Burundian troops are currently deployed in South Kivu, where they are officially tasked with fighting RED-TABARA, an armed group opposed to the Burundian government. However, the Burundian army has also been implicated in battles involving the Congolese army (FARDC) and the M23 in North Kivu. M23 has repeatedly accused Burundi of being directly involved in the conflict, sometimes releasing videos allegedly showing captured Burundian soldiers stating their names, units, and how they entered the DRC.
Burundi’s government has consistently denied that any of its soldiers were taken prisoner.
Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have signed a military cooperation agreement to jointly combat armed groups, though the full details of that agreement have never been made public.
Meanwhile, the DRC continues to accuse Rwanda of supporting M23, an allegation that Rwanda strongly denies, claiming instead it has taken necessary security precautions. For its part, Rwanda accuses the Congolese army and its Burundian allies of collaborating with the FDLR, a Rwandan rebel group. Both countries reject these accusations.
In an interview with the BBC in May this year, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye accused Rwanda of planning to attack Burundi via Congolese territory — a claim he dismissed as “wishful thinking.”
Recently, the DRC and M23 signed a preliminary ceasefire agreement during peace talks held in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Prior to that, the DRC and Rwanda also signed an economic agreement in Washington through their respective foreign ministers. These deals are expected to be formally endorsed by the countries’ heads of state in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Therwandan
