Five people have been killed and six others wounded after an armed confrontation between Wazalendo fighters and Burundian soldiers in Ndunda, in South Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Local sources say the clash on Friday, 11 September 2026, followed a dispute over the meat of a hippopotamus killed in the Ruzizi River.

The confrontation took place in Ndunda, in Uvira territory, in the Ruzizi Plain, close to the border between the DRC and Burundi.

According to local sources, the dispute began two days earlier, when Wazalendo fighters allegedly killed a hippopotamus in the Ruzizi River.

The river forms part of the border between the two countries in this area.

The animal was reportedly recovered by Burundian soldiers. Local sources say the Wazalendo fighters later complained that the meat had been consumed without being shared with them.

A second hippopotamus

On Thursday, 10 September, the Wazalendo allegedly killed another hippopotamus. The animal was reportedly swept away by the river.

The following morning, people on both sides of the border spotted the carcass.

Fuel sellers on the Burundian side reportedly alerted their soldiers, while farmers on the Congolese side informed the Wazalendo.

The two groups subsequently converged on the animal.

According to local sources, an argument broke out over who should recover the meat. The disagreement reportedly escalated into an exchange of gunfire.

The circumstances that triggered the shooting, and the responsibility of each side, could not be independently established.

Five dead, six wounded

The first reported toll on Friday morning was four deaths: two Burundian soldiers and two Burundian civilians. Seven Wazalendo fighters were also reported wounded.

Later that day, one of the wounded Wazalendo fighters died while receiving treatment at Sange General Referral Hospital, according to local sources.

The provisional toll therefore rose to five dead and six wounded.

Neither the Burundian nor Congolese authorities had publicly confirmed the figures at the time of publication.

Wildlife caught in a conflict zone

The incident also highlights the vulnerability of wildlife in an area affected by armed violence.

Hippopotamuses are found along the Ruzizi River and are an important part of the aquatic ecosystem. Their hunting and the trade in their meat can place additional pressure on populations already exposed to environmental and security threats.

The Ndunda incident illustrates how competition over natural resources can intersect with armed groups and cross-border tensions.

The reported dispute over a hippopotamus carcass has therefore become more than a question of access to meat: it raises broader questions about wildlife protection, armed actors and the management of natural resources along the DRC-Burundi border.

The accounts from Ndunda remain based on local sources and require further independent verification.