Annan condemns "murderous rebel attacks"

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemned recent attacks by rebels in Burundi's capital in which civilians, including women and children, were killed and property destroyed, his deputy spokesman, Manoel de Almeida e Silva, said on Tuesday. Annan said he had learned with "great distress" of the murderous attacks committed on 28 and 29 August in Bujumbura against civilians in Mutanga North and Musagao - attacks which were reported to have claimed over 50 lives. "The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the rebels to end all attacks against civilians and abide by international humanitarian and human rights norms", De Almeida e Silva said. Sources in Bujumbura, meanwhile, told IRIN that the attackers particularly targeted Tutsi populations and, on the basis of their uniforms and the fact that they spoke Kinyarwanda, were suspected to be ex-FAR.