Burundian officials did not comment on the overnight killings but army spokesman Colonel Gaspard Bratuza said on Twitter that a “final assessment” of Friday’s operations was underway.
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At least seven people were killed earlier this week six by men wearing police uniforms. However, army soldiers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that at least three soldiers were killed. Residents said some of the dead had been rounded up by the police during the day after house-to-house searches on Friday, an allegation the police denied.
Heavy firing and the sounds of artillery could be heard for many hours afterwards, said witnesses at several different locations.
An attempt by rebels to topple the president in May failed, but one of the generals behind the unsuccessful coup said in July that the rebel group was still planning to get rid of the leader.
“Most of those killed are young heads of households who were at home…it’s carnage, there is no other word for it”, said an outraged resident of Nyakabiga. Burundi is still scarred by memories of its 1993-2006 civil war pitting rebels from the Hutu majority against an army dominated by minority Tutsis.
Willy Nyamitwe, a presidential media adviser, using a term to describe political opponents, tweeted: “Situation is returning to normal as firearms are seized, many Sindumuja assailants killed or arrested”.
At least 240 people have been killed since April and about 215,000 others have fled to neighboring countries, according to the United Nations.
The U.S. embassy in Burundi on Friday ordered its personnel to shelter in place and advised Americans in Bujumbura to take similar precautions.
Burundi has been in the midst of a political crisis that has driven countless people fleeing to safety in neighbouring countries since President Pierre Nkurunziza chose to run for a controversial third term earlier this year.
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He said the United States may impose sanctions on others who block peace efforts or resort to violence.
