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Defence ministry slams MISNA allegations

    NAIROBI
    The defence ministry has officially denied allegations by the missionary news agency MISNA that soldiers killed a total of 70 civilians in two separate incidents. In a statement, received by IRIN on Thursday, the ministry said it was "staggered" to learn of the allegations. MISNA claimed 30 worshippers were killed at a church in Nyambuye on Sunday, and 40 other people killed in Burundi's northern suburbs overnight Tuesday. MISNA said Ugandan soldiers were involved. The defence ministry described the claims as "gratuitous lies" and warned the media against information disseminated by MISNA "whose sources are very dubious". The statement said no military operation took place in Nyambuye on Sunday, neither was there an attack on a church. "If Ugandan soldiers are fighting in Burundi, they are not recognised by their country nor by Burundi. In which case, they are on the side of genocidal terrorists acting on behalf of the Interahamwe and ex-FAR," the statement said.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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