The Banyamulenge flocked to join the Rwandan Tutsi rebels who invaded Rwanda from Uganda in 1990.
The attacks took place about 10 miles from Nyakatale - a town that fell into the rebels' hands after they invaded Rwanda from Uganda 10 days ago.
The rebels, made up of Rwandan refugees, predominantly of the Tutsi tribe, invaded Rwanda from its northern neighbor Uganda on Sunday.
On Oct. 1, 1990, the Patriotic Front invaded Rwanda.
The rebel force, which invaded northeastern Rwanda on Oct. 1 from neighboring Uganda, is composed mainly of Tutsis living in Uganda.
They remained de facto senior officers, but the change caused them to accelerate their plans to invade Rwanda.
But in 1990, the army of the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front invaded Rwanda from Uganda, quickly capturing some territory in the north.
The new recruits are not as well trained as the seasoned bush-fighters who invaded Rwanda in 1990 and started the civil war, diplomats say.
He then threatened to invade Rwanda.
On October 1, 1990, the RPF invaded Rwanda from their base in neighboring Uganda.