Over 1,000 Burundian Soldiers Reported Missing

More than 1,000 Burundian soldiers deployed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been reported missing following intense fighting in early December 2025. The clashes took place in the Ruzizi Valley, according to human rights groups and local sources.

The soldiers operated in several parts of South Kivu province. These areas included Luvungi, Sange, Luberizi and Kiliba. Fighting occurred between December 2 and December 9.

Heavy Losses During South Kivu Clashes

The fighting involved the AFC/M23 rebel coalition and Congolese government forces. Burundi’s troops fought alongside Congolese forces, Wazalendo militia groups and the FDLR.

At the start of the operation, Burundi deployed about 20,000 soldiers in South Kivu. During the clashes, the Burundian contingent suffered heavy losses. Some soldiers were killed, others were wounded, and several were reportedly captured.

Authorities evacuated the injured to medical facilities. These included Kamenge Military Hospital, Tanganyika Care Polyclinic and Kira Hospital.

Captures Confirmed by M23

The AFC/M23 coalition confirmed that it captured a number of Burundian soldiers during fighting in the Rusizi Valley. The group said it respects the rights of detainees and plans to facilitate their return.

However, M23 has not provided exact figures. Meanwhile, sources in South Kivu estimate that the number of captured Burundian soldiers could be in the hundreds.

Human Rights Group Raises Alarm

On January 4, 2026, the Burundian human rights organisation FOCODE reported that more than 1,000 Burundian soldiers remained unaccounted for in the Rusizi Valley.

The organisation said it could not confirm whether the missing soldiers are alive, captured, killed or deserted.

“After the recent fighting in Congo, soldiers deployed in the Kamanyola, Lubarika and Luvungi areas confirm that more than 1,000 soldiers are missing,” FOCODE said. “Their fate remains unknown.”

Conflicting Figures Emerge

Meanwhile, another source in Burundi claimed that as many as 1,794 Burundian soldiers are missing. The source alleged that all of them deserted the army and that authorities do not know their current locations.

Officials have not publicly confirmed this figure. As a result, uncertainty remains over the true scale of losses and disappearances.