Heavy Gunfire in Burundis Capital as Attempted Coup Aborts

There was also heavy gunfire near the national radio and television station in the capital in the early hours of Thursday.

The head of Burundi's army said on Thursday that an attempted coup had failed and forces loyal to Nkurunziza were in control.

A witness told Reuters that a journalist at the state broadcaster had said there was still heavy gunfire being heard around the state television and radio station in the capital on Thursday morning.

Another Reuters witness said loud blasts were heard in the capital.

The Reuters witness said two private radio stations and a television station were attacked by unknown men in police uniforms.

The two stations were among those that carried Major General Godefroid Niyombare's announcement on Wednesday that he had sacked Nkurunziza.

Neither Niyombare nor his spokespeople were immediately available to comment.

 

EAC, AU condemn attempted coup

With President Nkurunziza having gone to Tanzania to discuss the crisis with East African leaders on Wednesday, the presidency dismissed the declaration by Niyombare, who was fired as Nkurunziza's intelligence chief in February, saying on Facebook that the coup had been "foiled".

A Tanzanian official said he had not attended the talks in Dar es Salaam, and had left to return to Burundi. But Niyombare said the capital's airport and all border crossings were closed.

The East African leaders condemned the bid to oust him and called for a return to "constitutional order".

Late on Wednesday, the African Union condemned the attempted coup.

"The chairperson condemns in the strongest terms today's coup attempt in Bujumbura, calls for the return to constitutional order and urges all stakeholders to exercise utmost restraint," AU Commission chair Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said in a statement.

Activists say more than 20 people have been killed in weeks of protest against Nkurunziza's re-election bid, plunging Burundi into its worst crisis since an ethnically fuelled civil war ended in 2005.

The United Nations said more than 70,000 Burundians had fled to neighbouring states in a region with a history of ethnic fighting.

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories