At least eight killed in rebel attacks

At least eight people have been killed in the past few days in various parts of Burundi, news organisations reported. On Friday, four people were killed on Bujumbura’s main road, Route 1, after a public transport minibus plying the Bujumbura-Gitega route was attacked some 15 km from Bujumbura. Three of the dead were civilians and one soldier. Three other were wounded, two of them seriously, Burundi news agency ABP reported on Monday. It blamed the attack on rebels of the Forces nationales de libération (FNL).

However, FNL spokesman Anicet Ntawuhanganayo denied these claims saying the group could not attack buses. “We can’t attack civilians, we can’t punish them,” he said when contacted by IRIN on Tuesday. “This route is used by rebels, government militias and even bandits,” he said. “I don’t know about this attack. It may have been by another group,” he said. “We cannot be involved in killing civilians. Our fight is against the government,” he reiterated. Meanwhile, in Kabezi in Bujumbura-Rural province, western Burundi, two people were reportedly decapitated by suspected rebels of CNDD-FDD on Friday, Net Press reported. The two allegedly refused to make payments to the movement. The rebels stole foodstuff and money during the raid. A man and a child were also killed in Gatete zone, Rumonge commune, Bururi province, southwestern Burundi on Saturday night, ABP reported. One person was injured during the attack.