Burundi clashes kill almost 90

Nearly 90 people were killed during Friday's clashes in the Burundian capital, the army said on Saturday, the worst outbreak of violence in Burundi since a failed coup in May.

Violence unnerves region still volatile 2 decades after genocide in neighbouring Rwanda

Thomson Reuters Posted: Dec 12, 2015 10:31 PM EST | Last Updated: December 13, 2015

Burundian police officers collect a cache of weapons recovered from suspected fighters after clashes in the capital Bujumbura. Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza said gunmen had attacked three military sites in Bujumbura during a day of clashes across the city. (REUTERS)

Nearly 90 people were killed during Friday's clashes in the Burundian capital, the army said on Saturday, the worst outbreak of violence in Burundi since a failed coup in May.

Blasts and gunfire echoed around Bujumbura for most of Friday and residents said officials spent the day collectingbullet-riddled bodies from city streets.

There was no fighting overnight and the capital's streets were calm on Saturday.

Army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza said gunmen had attacked three military sites in Bujumbura, kindling a day of clashesacross the city. He said 79 attackers were killed and 45 otherscaptured. Four police officers and four soldiers also died.

"Sweep operations have finished now," Baratuza said, addingthat officials confiscated weapons and ammunition.

Unrest in Burundi, which started in April when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans for a third term in office, has unnerved a region still volatile two decades after the genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

Friday's clashes were condemned by the United States, which like other Western powers fears the central African nation could slide back into ethnic conflict.

UN Security Council considering 'further steps'

The UNSecurity Council was briefed on the developments in Burundi late on Friday. U.S. Ambassador to the United NationsSamantha Power, who is president of the council for December,said the 15-member body was ready to consider "further steps."

The police did not identify the gunmen. One of the generals behind the failed coup attempt said afterwards that his rebelgroup still aimed to topple the president.

Residents said some of Friday's dead were killed after being rounded up by the police in house-to-house searches, anallegation the police denied.

According to witnesses and pictures circulated on social media, some bodies had their hands tied behind their backs.

"They entered in our compounds, gathered all young and middle-aged men, took them and killed them away from theirhomes," said one resident in Nyakabiga.

But police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said there were "nocollateral victims" during Friday clashes.

Baratuza said some attackers who attempted to raid theNgagara military camp retreated and were pursued by securityforces who "inflicted on them considerable losses."

Kenya Airways, which cancelled flights to Burundion Friday, said it would resume flying to Bujumbura on Sunday.

Until now, battle lines in Burundi's crisis have followedthe political divide. But Western powers and neighbouring countries fear prolonged violence could reopen old ethnic riftsin a nation of 10 million people.

Burundi's 12-year civil war, which ended in 2005, pittedrebel groups of the Hutu majority, including one led byNkurunziza, against what was then an army led by the Tutsiminority. Rwanda has the same ethnic mix.

More than 220,000 people have fled the violence toneighbouring Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Congo.

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Burundi clashes kill almost 90

Violence unnerves region still volatile 2 decades after genocide in neighbouring Rwanda

UN Security Council considering 'further steps'

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