4 died in separate grenade explosions in Burundi

Three persons Tuesday morning died in a grenade explosion at Ngozi town, 125 km north of the Burundian capital Bujumbura and another died Monday night in Kanyosha in the capital Bujumbura, police said Tuesday.

"The incident occurred around 07:20 (05:20 GMT) when schoolchildren were going to school at Kinyami neighborhood in Ngozi town. A soldier on a taxi bicycle had two grenades and one of them exploded, killing the soldier himself, the taxi bicycle rider and a schoolchild," said Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye.

According to Nkurikiye, the soldier was not wearing his military uniform.

He added that five other people were seriously injured and were taken to Ngozi Hospital for treatment.

The police spokesman also said that another person died Monday evening at Kanyosha in the south of the Burundian capital Bujumbura in a grenade explosion.

"The victim was a bandit. He had a grenade and he wanted to blast it, but it exploded in his hands and killed him," said Nkurikiye, adding that three other persons were injured during the explosion.

He indicated that two motorcycles suspected to be used by the victim's collaborators have been seized.

Meanwhile, Nkurikiye said that an unexploded grenade was discovered Tuesday morning at Buterere in the north of the Burundian capital Bujumbura.

Burundi is facing a year-long political crisis 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 451 persons are reported to have been killed since then while some 270,000 citizens sought exile in neighboring countries. Endit