Fighting continues in Burundi capital
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E-mail Xinhua, May 15, 2015
Heavy gunfire and blasts were heard in Burundi's capital on Thursday amid claims from pro- president officials that a coup attempt had failed.
![A man is seen with his bicycle on a street following a military coup attempt against Burundian President in Bujumbura, Brundi, May 14, 2015. Heavy gunfire and blasts were heard in Burundi's capital on Thursday amid claims from pro-president officials that a coup attempt had failed. [Photo/Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20150515/001aa0ba3c1616bf8f9807.jpg "A man is seen with his bicycle on a street following a military coup attempt against Burundian President in Bujumbura, Brundi, May 14, 2015. Heavy gunfire and blasts were heard in Burundi's capital on Thursday amid claims from pro-president officials that a coup attempt had failed. [Photo/Xinhua]") |
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A man is seen with his bicycle on a street following a military coup attempt against Burundian President in Bujumbura, Brundi, May 14, 2015. Heavy gunfire and blasts were heard in Burundi's capital on Thursday amid claims from pro-president officials that a coup attempt had failed. [Photo/Xinhua] |
Witnesses told Xinhua forces loyal to President Pierre Nkurunziza and pro-coup supporters were fighting over control of the state radio and TV headquarters in the capital.
At least 15 workers including journalists and other agents were stranded inside the building of Burundi National Radio and Television (RTNB) in an attack by pro-coup forces, a witness told Xinhua.
Burundian army chief Prime Niyongabo said on state radio that the attempted coup had failed and forces loyal to the president were in control of "all strategic points."
Sporadic gunshots were heard throughout Bujumbura overnight and fighting intensified on early Thursday morning. The streets were largely deserted by pedestrians and traffic as residents stayed at home.
A diplomatic source, who requested anonymity, told Xinhua that the situation in Burundi appeared to be stabilizing as government troops had controlled the capital airport, state radio and television.
Soldiers dispatched from other Burundi provinces were also arriving in the capital to assist government troops, according to the source.
Other key state installations including the Presidential Palace and the headquarters of the ruling party were also in the hands of pro-president forces, Burundi state radio reported.
In a radio broadcast on Thursday, Nkurunziza commended security and defense fores who did not join coup plotters, and urged solders who are still behind the coup to "surrender."
"I thank security and defense forces who didn't join coup plotters," said Nkurunziza, whose current whereabout was not disclosed, in a phone interview.
On Wednesday afternoon, Major General Godefroid Niyombare, former head of Burundi's National Intelligence, announced that he had overthrown Nkurunziza, his government and the parliament.
The coup attempt occurred while Nkurunziza had gone to Dar-es- Salaam, Tanzania, to attend a special summit on Burundi's situation, attended by heads of state of the East African Community, which comprises Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The coup attempt followed 15 days of protests against a third- term bid of Nkurunziza. At least 20 people were killed during the protests, which mainly took place in various neighborhoods in capital Bujumbura.
The attempted coup has met with wide condemnation from African leaders. In a statement, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chairperson of the AU Commission, condemned in the strongest terms the coup attempt and called for the return to constitutional order.
Dlamini-Zuma reiterated the need for dialogue and consensus in Burundi.
East African leaders on Wednesday called off their planned extraordinary summit and condemned the coup attempt in Burundi, saying the coup would not be the right solution to end political crisis.
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