The report of the United Nations Group of Experts in Congo, citing security and intelligence sources and others close to the Congolese army leadership, stated that Congolese army aircraft had transported forces from Burundi to the east of the republic since September 21.
The Burundian and Congolese governments and the Congolese army did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
The report was distributed internally to members of the United Nations Security Council on December 15, and Reuters reviewed it on Saturday. It is scheduled to be published in January.
The report highlights the security strategy followed by Congo in the east, away from the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers and Congolese forces that were supported by a regional force affiliated with the East African Community until earlier this month.
The report stated that the Burundian government denied to UN experts that it had deployed any forces outside the framework of the agreement with the East African Community.
It was also stated that the Congolese military authorities told the group that they were not aware of the cooperation with Burundian forces referred to in the report.
The report quoted sources as saying that Burundian forces were deployed outside the framework of the East African Community agreement and were working alongside Congolese forces and allied armed groups to confront the March 23 Movement in North Kivu province.
Since 2022, the March 23 rebel movement's campaign has exacerbated a decades-long security and humanitarian crisis in the region, forcing approximately one million people to flee their homes.
Congo, Western powers and a UN group of experts say the Tutsi-led rebel group has the support of neighboring Rwanda. Rwanda denies this, but the accusations have led to a major diplomatic crisis in the region.
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