2020 Bugarama attack

The attack began on August 23, when RED-Tabara militants emerged from the forest around Bugarama and kidnapped eleven people.^[4] The commander of the militants later stated that they infiltrated Burundi from the DRC's South Kivu province through Lake Tanganyika.^[5] The eleven hostages were summarily executed, and then clashes broke out between the militants and the Burundian Army in the city.^[3] Five militants were killed in the battle, and eventually retreated.^[3] A senior Burundian government official stated that the attack likely stemmed from the repatriation of the refugees.^[2] RED-Tabara claimed responsibility for the attack on August 24, after clashes had died down earlier that day, and claimed that nine policemen and twenty "militants" had been killed.^[2] In the statement, RED-Tabara claimed that Hutu rebel group FDLR had infiltrated Burundian forces.^[2][6]

RED-Tabara claimed several more attacks in Burundi on September 15, 18, and 25, claiming the deaths of fifty-nine people who they alleged were associated with the Burundian government.^[7] Several RED-Tabara militants, including the commander of the Bugarama attack, were arrested in Rwanda on September 29. They claimed that the Bugarama attack was against Burundian forces and Imbonerakure.^[5]