Rebels killed as thousands of civilians flee fighting

An unknown number of rebels have been killed in fighting against government troops in northern Burundi, forcing up to 65,000 civilians to flee their homes, army and local authority officials told IRIN on Tuesday.

The fighting between the army and the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Force pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) rebel faction led by Pierre Nkurunziza intensified on Monday at Butaganzwa and Matongo communes in Kayanza Province in the north, the commander of the Third Military Region, Brig-Gen Sylvestre Nimubona, said.

Fighting continued on Tuesday in Mufunya, Nyarurama and Buramiro in Butaganzwa areas, he said. There had also been fighting in the past week in the communes of Gahombo and Muhanga in Kayanza.

"Many of them [the rebels] were killed and others driven back to the neighbouring commune of Butaganzwa," Nimubona said. "I am not able to tell the exact toll as fighting continues in that area."

He did not say whether there had been casualties in the army side.

Administration authorities were reported to have contacted humanitarian agencies seeking aid for the tens of thousands displaced.

"The [UN] World Food Program responded positively to our request, aid distribution can start at any time," Edouard Nkurunziza, the governor of Kayanza, told IRIN.

CNDD-FDD spokesman Gelase Ndabirabe accused the army of launching attacks on CNDD-FDD positions in Butaganzwa.

"What we're doing now is to defend ourselves against army shelling," he said.