Burundi: 8 killed in coordinated attacks of military camps

Burundi’s political violence has escalated as 28 people were found shot dead in three areas of the capital Bujumbura, a day after the government said an unidentified group carried out co-ordinated attacks on three military installations. “Targeted attacks are also on the rise and are now taking place in neighbourhoods of Bujumbura that were previously considered to be safe”, Al Hussei said, according to CAJ News Africa. Burundi’s military spokesman said Friday, Dec. 11, 2015 that a number of members of a…

During the civil war, Nkurunziza was the leader of a Hutu rebellion against the Tutsi-dominated armed forces. He went on to win July elections that were marred by an opposition boycott and violence.

Police sources said that it was an attack against Musaga in the south and Ngagara in the north of the capital Bujumbura.

Baratuza said the attackers aimed “to stock up on weapons and ammunition”.

He said the army later killed 12 of the attackers.

Some 240 people have been killed in the unrest since April, and nearly a quarter of a million have fled to neighboring countries.

“[The] situation is returning to normal as firearms are seized, many Sindumuja assailants killed or arrested”, he added.

Heavy gunfire and grenade explosions that have rocked, since Thursday night, several neighborhoods in the Burundi capital Bujumbura, have prevented people from going to work on Friday.

Presidential media adviser Willy Nyamitwe wrote on Twitter that the strikes were a “diversion” by the attackers to try to free prisoners at the military camps.

Burundian officials have previously accused Rwanda of supporting an insurgency against President Pierre Nkurunziza by those opposed to his third term.

The U.N. warned Tuesday that mounting violence in Burundi could turn into genocide.

In a statement earlier this week, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Ned Price called for all sides in Burundi to reject violence and take part in an internationally mediated dialogue, outside the country, to resolve the crisis.