BURUNDI-POLITICS/VIOLENCE Two killed as blasts, gunfire rock Burundi presidential vote

Record ID: 146435

  • Title: BURUNDI-POLITICS/VIOLENCE Two killed as blasts, gunfire rock Burundi presidential vote
  • Date: 21st July 2015
  • Summary: BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI (JULY 21, 2015) (REUTERS) TRAFFIC ON THE STREETS RESIDENTS LOOKING AT DEAD BODY DEAD BODY ON THE GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Kirundi) UNNAMED BUJUMBURA RESIDENT, SAYING: "The dirt on his clothes is not from here, it seems he was killed somewhere else and dumped in this location. We all protect each other at night and no one heard any commotion to say that we kno
  • Embargoed: 5th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Burundi
  • Country: Burundi
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9C20EEC7U4ZBLLMZ9QN1UTYNE
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
    One person was found dead on the streets of Burundi's capital Bujumbura on Tuesday (July 21) as overnight blasts and gunfire rang out in the lead up to the country's presidential elections.
    Residents said they suspected the person was killed elsewhere and dumped within their locality.
    "The dirt on his clothes is not from here, it seems he was killed somewhere else and dumped in this location. We all protect each other at night and no one heard any commotion to say that we know what happened," said an unnamed resident from Niyakabiga in Bujumbura.
    "He was not shot, it seems he was choked and killed," added another resident.
    A policeman and a civilian were reported killed in clashes hours before the start of Burundi's presidential elections, already hit by opposition boycotts and protests over President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to run for a third term.
    The country is grappling with its worst crisis since a civil war ended in 2005. It has faced weeks of demonstrations, a failed coup and clashes between rebel soldiers and the army.
    Residents say the country has become unstable.
    "There is no security in Burundi, gunfire rings out through the night, we don't know where the country is headed, we are not sure what is happening here," said another unnamed Niyakabiga resident.
    Opponents accuse Nkurunziza of violating the constitution by seeking another five years in office. Western donors and African states, worried about tensions in a region with a history of ethnic conflict, urged Burundi to postpone the poll.
    Nkurunziza cites a court ruling saying he can run again. The government said they had already delayed the vote as long as they could and promised a fair poll.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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