FNL rebels deny being dislodged

Rebels of the Forces nationales de liberation (FNL) on Friday denied that they had been dislodged from their positions around the capital, Bujumbura.

"We have no positions or an organised army at any particular base. So the claims are false," FNL spokesman Anicet Ntawuhiganayo told IRIN on Friday. "They don't understand how we operate. They think we have positions and even an army. We are all over, we are not at any specific point," he explained.

According to Ntawuhiganayo, fighting continued on Friday in Bujumbura Rural and in "other parts" of the country. He dismissed the figure given by army spokesman Col Augustin Nzabampema on Wednesday that 29 rebels had been killed. "To my knowledge, more than 100 civilians have died during these recent clashes with the army. The battle is hurting the civilians most," he added.

AP on Thursday reported Burundi Defence Minister Cyrille Ndayirukiye as saying the army has chased FNL rebels from four positions around Bujumbura. AFP also reported him as saying the rebels had been forced to abandon two command posts - at Mbare and Gasarara after heavy fighting in the west of the country.

Despite the installation of a transitional government in November 2001, fighting has continued in different parts of Burundi. Efforts to secure a ceasefire between the armed groups and the government have not been successful.

The latest round of fighting between FNL rebels and the army started on 11 March. Thousands of people have been displaced as a result, and many wounded. The army four weeks ago embarked on a campaign to flush out rebels from their hideouts.