The Melchior Ndadaye International Airport was reportedly attacked on Saturday night. Bujumbura keeps a total silence. No denial. No confirmation either. Fighting is said to continue in the Rukoko forest.
Shells are said to have fallen at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport at around 11pm. “At around 11pm on 18 September 2021, we launched several shells at Bujumbura International Airport. We also had an exchange of fire for at least an hour with the military in one of the positions protecting the airport,” reads the Red Tabara Twitter account.
Gitega contacted through Willy Nyamitwe, head of the information and communication division at the presidency of the Republic of Burundi, did not deny or confirm this information.
These shells, of which there were only three, did not cause any damage. The airport of the economic capital would have received in the morning a plane of Kenya Airways.
A second communiqué from Red Tabara indicated in the afternoon that fighting was continuing in the Rukoko forest. The Red Tabara rebels are said to be still holding their positions. They reportedly repelled attacks by government soldiers. Weapons were reportedly recovered and soldiers killed. Red Tabara reportedly deplores one wounded person.
At the time of publication of this article, no reaction had yet been received from the Burundian authorities.
Gérard Rugambwa
