The armed group RED Tabara, which is fighting the Burundian government, has denied collaborating with the M23 and Twirwaneho, which are fighting the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On November 26, 2025, the Burundian military spokesman, Brig Gen Gaspard Baratuza, announced that RED Tabara, Nzabampema's FNL, Twirwaneho and M23 have formed a coalition operating in the Minembwe area connecting the territories of Uvira, Fizi and Mwenga.
Brig Gen Baratuza explained that these groups were the ones who caused the Burundian army to close the roads connecting Minembwe and other areas, in order to maintain the security of the city of Uvira and the Burundian border.
The spokesman for RED Tabara, Patrick Nahimana, announced on December 3, 2025 that the group is not collaborating with M23 or Twirwaneho, contrary to what Brig Gen Baratuza had said.
Nahimana said, "RED Tabara reiterates that it has no affiliation, and that the reasons for its struggle are known to the Burundian government and the international community."
Twirwaneho also denies working with RED Tabara and the FNL. Last month, it explained that these Burundian groups are not based in Minembwe, but rather in the Mibunda forests and Kankova.
RED Tabara recalled that the reason for taking up arms was that the CNDD-FDD government in 2015 violated the provisions of the Arusha Accords, which stated that no Head of State should serve more than two terms.
He said, "Remember that our struggle is supported only by Burundians who understand its cause, based on the respect for the Arusha Accords, which were violated by the CNDD-FDD government, which has created a bad political atmosphere in Burundi since 2015."
The armed group called on the international community to help Burundians, including the opposition and opponents, to engage in talks to establish a leadership based on the Arusha Accords.
