FDNB: Officers Arrested for Fizi M23 Intelligence Leak

• Two Burundian National Defense Force (FDNB) officers, Captain Félicien Kanjori and Major Jérémie Nitunga, were arrested on September 1, 2026, in Fizi, DRC, following an M23 drone strike on Hotel Mwalu.
• The officers are suspected of leaking intelligence that allowed the M23 to target the hotel, which had hosted high-ranking Congolese and Burundian military officials for a strategic meeting.
• Mercenaries, not local militiamen, reportedly carried out the arrests, and the officers were allegedly transferred to the General Staff of Military Intelligence, the Congolese military intelligence service (formerly DEMIAP), though this remains unconfirmed.
• No public evidence supports the intelligence leak allegations, and both the Congolese and Burundian armies have remained silent on the arrests, motives, or the officers' current status.
• The incident highlights the complex security landscape and lack of transparency in eastern DRC, further complicated by a mobile network blackout in Fizi since June 19, 2026.

No public and independent evidence has yet emerged to substantiate the claims that the two officers provided such sensitive information.

On September 1, 2026, two officers from the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB), Captain Félicien Kanjori and Major Jérémie Nitunga, were taken into custody following a drone strike that hit the Hotel Mwalu in Fizi, located in the South Kivu province of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The attack, which occurred on August 19, 2026, was attributed to the M23 rebel group, also known as AFC-M23 forces. Both officers are suspected of having leaked crucial intelligence that enabled the M23 to pinpoint the hotel's location. Initial reports regarding their arrest were conflicting, with some accounts suggesting Wazalendo militiamen were responsible; however, subsequent information gathered by SOS Médias Burundi indicates that mercenaries operating in the area carried out the arrests.

The drone strike on Hotel Mwalu resulted in serious injuries to two individuals, including the hotel manager, Mwando Lukaba, and caused significant material damage. A spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) in the region publicly attributed the assault to the M23, stating that two bombs were deployed by drones. This specific attribution, however, has not been independently verified. At the time of the attack, the hotel was reportedly hosting a significant gathering of Congolese and Burundian military officials, alongside various fighters, for a meeting focused on strategizing a new military operation targeting the Minembwe highlands.

Among the high-ranking military personnel associated with this critical meeting were Major General Elie Ndizigiye, known as Muzinga, who serves as the deputy commander of the FDNB and is responsible for coordinating Burundian military operations, and Brigadier General Télesphore Barandereka, head of the FDNB General Staffs training and instruction service (G3). Brigadier General Fabien Dunia Kashindi, commander of the FARDC's 33rd Military Region, which encompasses both South Kivu and Maniema, was also cited as being present. Fortunately, according to information obtained by SOS Médias Burundi, these senior officials had departed the premises prior to the drone strike.

Following the destructive drone strike, an extensive investigation was launched involving both Congolese and Burundian authorities to ascertain how the AFC-M23 forces could have acquired precise intelligence regarding the presence of military officials at the Hotel Mwalu. It was within this investigative framework that Captain Félicien Kanjori and Major Jérémie Nitunga became central figures, facing suspicions of providing information that could have facilitated either the location of the hotel itself or the identification of individuals inside. Despite these serious allegations, no public and independent evidence has yet emerged to substantiate the claims that the two officers provided such sensitive information.

The circumstances surrounding the arrests of Captain Kanjori and Major Nitunga remain largely ambiguous. While early testimonies suggested their apprehension by Wazalendo fighters, later intelligence collected by SOS Médias Burundi clarified that mercenaries operating in the region were responsible for taking the FDNB officers into custody. Crucially, the identity, nationality, command structure, and the exact details of these mercenaries' involvement have not been established. Further reports indicate that the two officers were subsequently transferred to Kinshasa and handed over to the General Staff of Military Intelligence, the Congolese military intelligence service (formerly DEMIAP), although this transfer has not been officially confirmed by authorities.

The arrests of the FDNB officers, Captain Félicien Kanjori and Major Jérémie Nitunga, underscore the severe operational risks and the opaque nature of justice for military personnel operating in the volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Neither the Congolese nor the Burundian armies have issued any official statements concerning the arrests, the specific motives behind them, or any formal charges brought against the two officers. This lack of transparency extends to the fate of the soldiers, about which both national armies have remained silent.

This incident unfolds against a backdrop of a highly complex and unstable security situation in the Fizi region, characterized by the intertwined presence of regular armed forces, various local armed groups, and foreign fighters, often operating under obscure or difficult-to-ascertain chains of command. Adding to the investigative challenges, the Fizi area has experienced significant communication disruptions, with mobile phone networks reportedly being inoperative since June 19, 2026. This pervasive communication blackout further complicates efforts to gather information and verify facts independently, deepening the mystery surrounding the alleged intelligence leak and the subsequent arrests.

This incident highlights the severe legal and operational risks for individuals and organizations operating in conflict zones, particularly concerning intelligence security, arbitrary detention, and the lack of transparent legal processes for military personnel accused of intelligence leaks in the complex eastern DRC/Burundi context. Lawyers advising clients with personnel in such regions should emphasize robust intelligence security protocols and prepare for potential due process challenges.

Source: Original reporting via SOS Médias Burundi