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Bosonic

(3,746 posts) Wed May 13, 2015, 08:27 AM May 2015

Burundi general declares coup against President Nkurunziza

Source: BBC

A Burundi army general says senior officers are "dismissing" President Pierre Nkurunziza, amid unrest over his bid to be re-elected to a third term.

Maj Gen Godefroid Niyombareh announced that a national salvation committee had been set up to run the country.

However, it is not clear how much support he and the other officers have.

President Nkurunziza is currently in Tanzania meeting other East African leaders to discuss the crisis. His aide dismissed the coup claims as "a joke".

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-32724083

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Burundi general declares coup against President Nkurunziza (Original Post) Bosonic May 2015 OP

President returns to Burundi after army says coup bid failed Eugene May 2015 #1

Eugene

(61,963 posts)

1. President returns to Burundi after army says coup bid failed

Reply to Bosonic (Original post)

Thu May 14, 2015, 05:57 PM

May 2015

Source: Reuters

World | Thu May 14, 2015 4:48pm EDT

President returns to Burundi after army says coup bid failed

BUJUMBURA | BY PATRICK NDUWIMANA AND GORAN TOMASEVIC

President Pierre Nkurunziza returned to Burundi on Thursday, his office said, after the army chief declared that an attempted coup staged when the east African leader was abroad had failed.

But bursts of gunfire in the capital and fighting for control of the state radio during the day indicated there was still determined opposition to the president, who sparked protests and the coup attempt by his move to seek a third term.

Critics said his re-election bid violated the constitution and a peace deal that ended an ethnically fuelled civil war that ended in 2005, plunging the nation into a deep political crisis.

But before announcing his return, loyalists of the president said they were in control of the major strategic assets, such as the airport and presidential offices. They also said they still controlled the state broadcaster despite the heavy fighting.

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