The arrest of the Rwandan soldier was confirmed by the Rwanda Defence Force in a statement issued on September 24, 2025, which read:
“Today, September 24, 2025, Sgt. SADIKI Emmanuel, an RDF driver, accidentally crossed the Gasenyi-Nemba border into Burundi, where he was subsequently detained by the Burundian police.”

The RDF further stated that the soldier had been held at the Kirundo Police Station in Busoni Commune, Butanyerera Province.

In the same statement, the RDF leadership expressed regret over the incident that occurred at the border and affirmed that it would use appropriate diplomatic channels with the Government of Burundi to ensure the soldier’s safe return.

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According to reports from Umunota news outlet, the detained Rwandan soldier confirmed that he had been released and returned to Rwanda. The RDF Spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga, told Umunota: “He’s back; they brought him.”

The soldier’s arrest had earlier been announced by the Burundian National Defence Force (FDNB) in a statement issued on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, stating that he had been apprehended in Busoni Commune, Butanyerera Province, formerly part of Kirundo, around midnight.

Relations between Rwanda and Burundi have remained strained, largely due to tensions linked to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crisis, which has affected regional unity and security.

The two countries have  experienced diplomatic friction since the 2015 coup attempt in Burundi against the late President Pierre Nkurunziza, which severely damaged ties between the neighboring states.

Burundi continues to accuse Rwanda of harboring and supporting members of the RED-Tabara rebel group  the faction behind the 2015 coup attempt  and of repeatedly undermining the country’s stability.