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21 people found dead after attacks in Burundi

Regional carriers Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and RwandAir all cancelled scheduled flights to Bujumbura yesterday.

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It is the latest flare up of violence sparked in April by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term.

One of the generals behind the failed coup attempt in May said in July the rebel group still aimed to topple the president and experts have warned that the army, which was restructured after the civil war to include rebel fighters, might fracture.

“What is the worldwide community waiting for?”

The U.S., Britain and a number of other countries have already imposed sanctions on both sides.

The call was backed by 18 members of the Council, more than the 16 required to reach a quorum of a third of the membership, but only one African state, Ghana.

There clearly was no immediate comment from Rwanda.

According to the United Nations, at least 240 people have been killed since April and more than 200,000 have fled to neighbouring countries. As sporadic gunfire continued around Bujumbura, a government spokesman claimed on Twitter that the attacks had been foiled.

Many residents of these neighborhoods say, however, that police are simply targeting those who participated in demonstrations against the president. Rwanda has rejected these accusations.

July 2015 – Elections are held, with Mr Nkurunziza re-elected. The army later killed 12 of the attackers and 20 others were arrested, including one who was wounded and is being treated at a military hospital, he said. However, army soldiers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that at least three soldiers were killed.

Months of street protests have devolved into regular armed attacks with gunfire disrupting the nights and bodies appearing on city streets nearly daily.

Unidentified attackers stormed two military camps in Burundi’s capital Friday, and soldiers said eight people were killed in the ensuing firefights as gunfire and explosions rocked Bujumbura, terrifying civilians who hid in their homes.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon meanwhile condemned the attacks by “groups of unidentified assailants”, his spokesman for Burundi said in a statement, adding that “such acts of violence can lead to a further destabilization of the situation”.

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Activities are at a standstill in Bujumbura city center on Friday.

Bystanders at the scene of one of the attacks in Bujumbura