Sabena airliner hit by small arms fire

A Belgian Sabena airliner was hit by small arms fire as it prepared to land at Bujumbura airport, at about 2 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday morning, UN sources in the Burundi capital told IRIN. “The incident took place about five kilometres from the city, Bujumbura,” an official said. A flight attendant and a passenger were “slightly hurt” in the incident, according to IRIN’s sources. Normal operations subsequently continued throughout Tuesday at the airport, despite earlier reports that it had been closed, the sources said.

Burundi army spokesman Colonel Longin Minani called the attack a “terrorist action” which should be condemned in the “strongest terms” by the international community. Minani blamed Burundi rebel groups for the incident. “It is very clear that they were not targeting the military but rather, civilians,” he added. The Sabena flight, from Brussels to Nairobi via Bujumbura, could not continue its journey and about 80 passengers were booked into a local hotel after the attack, Minani told IRIN. Later on Tuesday, the Burundi news agency, ABP, quoted a government communique condemning the attack. According to the communique, the attack had been mounted by rebels. The agency quoted the government spokesman, Luc Rukingama, as saying the security forces had reacted immediately after the incident took place and had neutralised the assailants. [For full report see IRIN separate of 5 December headlined “BURUNDI: Government condemns “terrorist” plane attack]