3 killed in separate attacks in Burundi: police

Three people were killed Wednesday night in separate incidents - two at Musaga in the south of the Burundian capital Bujumbura and the third at Kajaga in Bujumbura Rural province, police sources said Thursday.

"A man was shot dead at his home at Kajaga around 20:30 (18:30 GMT) by unidentified gunmen who ran way after killing him. Another man was shot dead by unidentified persons at his bar at the Second Avenue in Musaga while an unidentified corpse of a dead man was found at Gasekebuye in Musaga zone," said Burundian Police Deputy-Spokesman Moise Nkurunziza.

Phocas Bakaza, the man killed at Kajaga, was the chairman of Mutimbuzi Communal Council since January this year and was a businessman.

Meanwhile, Nkurunziza added that 12 people were arrested Thursday at Musaga in a police raid for their alleged participation in criminality acts.

Burundi is facing a political turmoil that broke out since April 2015 following the announcement by Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza that he would be seeking a third term.

His candidature, which was opposed by the opposition and civil society groups, resulted into a wave of protests, violence and even a failed coup on May 13, 2015.

Over 400 people are reported to have been killed since then while some 240,000 citizens sought exile in neighboring countries. Endit