BURUNDI: Burundi army says kills 11 rebels in clash

Record ID: 375322

  • Title: BURUNDI: Burundi army says kills 11 rebels in clash
  • Date: 29th April 2008
  • Summary: (BN12) RUSHUBI, BURUNDI (APRIL 28, 2008) (REUTERS) WIDE OF AREA WOMEN FLEEING THE AREA BURUNDI MILITARY GOING TO THE BATTLE FIELD BURUNDI MILITARY OFFICERS RUNNING THROUGH THE STREETS SOUND OF GUN FIRE FROM A DISTANCE BURUNDI MILITARY OFFICERS PROTECTING LOCAL RESDIENTS GUN FIRE SOUND WHILE FIGHTING IS TAKING PLACE CLOSE UP OF GUN
  • Embargoed: 14th May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Burundi
  • Country: Burundi
  • Topics: War / Fighting,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA26SNLNC576S4S49FE4S8AGDM
  • Story Text: Burundi troops killed 11 rebels in clashes on Monday (April 28) with the country's last active guerrilla group, the army said, bringing the death toll from renewed fighting to 44 in less than two weeks.
    Fighters from the Forces for National Liberation (FNL), the last active rebel group in the tiny central Africa nation of Burundi, continued with their attacks from outside the capital city as they positioned themselves on the hills surrounding Bujumbura.
    Clashes have continued despite a 2006 peace deal and President Pierre Nkurunziza called last week for regional and international action against the rebels.
    The latest fighting took place in Isale, a stronghold of the FNL 10 km (6 miles) from the capital Bujumbura.
    The FNL's persistent insurgency is seen by many as the final barrier to lasting stability in the coffee growing country of 8 million which is emerging from more then a decade of ethnic war that killed 300,000 people.
    FNL leaders were not immediately available for comment but they have blamed the government for the latest violence The fighting has forced local residents to flee in large numbers without carrying anything from their homes.
    "We continue to flee without the knowledge as to why they are fighting, we are forced to leave all our belongings in the house which they later loot," said a local resident Jean Marie Siniremera.
    Pope Benedict appealed to the world not to forget the "tragic"
    conflicts in Somalia, Darfur and Burundi and called on authorities to honour their commitments to bring an end to the violence on Sunday (April 27).
    Women and children could be seen going to safe areas while men watched as the military officers passed them while going to the front line.
    Burundi's president has called for regional and international action against the central African country's last active rebel group, whose latest offensive killed 33 people in a week.
    Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete are due to meet on Wednesday (April 30) to discuss Burundi in Uganda's capital Kampala.
    Despite a 2006 peace deal, FNL have mounted sporadic attacks after talks to implement the accord were suspended last July when it quit a truce monitoring team accusing mediators of bias.
    Burundi has urged the United Nations and regional countries to take tough measures against the FNL rebels.
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