UN Security Council condemns Burundi attacks, urges peace

Heavily armed attackers have started coordinated assaults on several military barracks.

But U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power says the Obama administration believes the situation “compels us to look squarely on how the worldwide community can protect civilians from mass violence, including for the possible deployment of a regionally led peace support operation”.

Power warned that the Council was ready “to consider additional measures” against powerbrokers in the country and appealed for immediate talks to prevent more bloodshed.

Night-time gunfire and sporadic blasts have become common in Bujumbura during a crisis sparked in April by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term, which opponents – often known as “Sindumuja” – said violated a deal that ended a civil war in 2005.

Kenya Airways, RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines all cancelled their flights to Burundi. Twelve attackers were killed and 21 captured, with five soldiers also sustaining injuries, said Baratuza, adding that “the army has defeated them seriously”.

Rights activist Vital Nshimiyimana said some of the five murdered had just been released from prison where they had been held for months after being arrested for protesting against Nkurunziza’s third term in office. At least 15 people were killed as gunfire and explosions rocked the African capital of Bujumbura, marking a steep escalation of a simmering conflict.

Many residents of these neighborhoods say, however, that police are simply targeting those who participated in demonstrations against the president.

Writing on Twitter, government spokesman Willy Nyamitwe denied the attacks had been an attempted coup.

“Camps attacks aimed to create a diversion to allow the escape of prisoners”, Niyamitwe wrote.

Burundi has a history of deadly conflicts between the country’s Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. Nevertheless, since they weren’t authorized to talk to the media, military officials, who insisted on anonymity, said three soldiers were killed.