Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has returned to the capital
Bujumbura in the wake of a failed coup attempt.
Mr Nkurunziza was in Tanzania when
military leaders moved against his bid for a third term on Tuesday.
Three of the coup leaders have been
arrested, though the coup leader is still on the run, a presidential spokesman
said.
BBC reports:
More than 105,000 people have fled
the country since unrest began in Burundi last month, the UN says.
After returning from Tanzania, Mr
Nkurunziza initially travelled to his northern hometown of Ngozi, before
continuing to Bujumbura.
He arrived in a huge convoy and was
met by supporters in party colours dancing and celebrating, a BBC journalist in
the capital reports.
He is expected to address the nation
later.
Burundi coup bid: Three ringleaders
arrested
Three leaders of a failed coup
against Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza have been arrested, his spokesman
says.
However, coup leader General Godefroid
Niyombare is "still on the run". He told the AFP news agency that he
and his followers were going to surrender, adding: "I hope they won't kill
us."
The president has returned to the
capital after being stuck in Tanzania.
More than 105,000 people have fled
the country since the unrest began last month, the UN says.
Mr Nkurunziza, who was in Tanzania
when the coup attempt against his bid to seek a third term was launched, is
expected to make a national address on Friday.
He initially returned to his
hometown of Ngozi, in the north, before travelling to the capital Bujumbura. He
arrived in a huge convoy of vehicles and was met by cheering supporters dressed
in party colours dancing and celebrating.
'Ask forgiveness'
Renegade general and former Defence
Minister General Cyrille Ndayirukiye was one of the three coup leaders arrested
on Friday, Mr Nkurunziza's spokesman, Gervais Abayeho, told the BBC.
"If they are found to be among
the coup leaders they will have to face justice," Mr Abayeho said, adding
that only a small section of the army had rebelled. He denied that the army was
divided.
Security Minister Gabriel Nizigama
told the BBC that two police commissioners and about a dozen other police
officers had also been arrested after a brief exchange of fire at one of the
generals' houses where they were hiding.
Mr Nizigama denied reports that the
detainees had been beaten during their arrest, saying they were detained under
conditions befitting normal human rights.
Coup leaders and their aides should
tell the nation that the coup had failed and ask the population for forgiveness
for their actions, he added.
Meanwhile, there are reports of
renewed protests in the capital against Mr Nkurunziza's decision to seek a
third term in office.
Civil rights organizations had
earlier urged people to go back to the streets, after weeks of protests.
Many view the president's bid as an
unconstitutional move, with thousands celebrating in Bujumbura after Gen
Niyombare announced the takeover on national radio on Wednesday.
Amid the insecurity, Friday saw the
US urge its citizens to leave the country, and temporarily close its embassy.
At least five soldiers were killed
in fighting for control of the national state TV and radio stations in
Bujumbura on Thursday. Reuters puts the death toll higher at 12, quoting army
chief of staff Gen Prime Niyongabo. The Burundi military says it now controls
the building.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR,
released new figures on Friday on the number of refugees crossing into
Burundi's neighbouring countries:
- Tanzania: 70,187
- Rwanda: 26,300
- Democratic Republic of Congo: 9,183
How coup attempt unfolded
25 April: President Pierre
Nkurunziza is nominated for a third term in office, a move his opponents say is
unconstitutional
26 April: Protesters take to the
streets of the capital Bujumbura, clashing with police over the decision, and
more demonstrations follow in the coming days
6 May: President Nkurunziza praises
the constitutional court's approval of his candidacy, and says his third term
will be his last
9 May: Seven other hopefuls file
their candidacies
13 May: With President Nkurunziza in
neighbouring Tanzania discussing the crisis, General Godefroid Niyombare
announces the dismissal of the president and his entire cabinet; thousands
celebrate - but the coup attempt fails
The unrest began after the 51-year-old
president said he would run for re-election in June.
Opponents said this contravened the
constitution, which states a president can only be elected to two terms.
Mr Nkurunziza argued he was entitled
to a third term because he was first appointed to the role by parliament in
2005, rather than elected.
His spokesman says that elections will continue
as planned.
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