10 grenade blasts in Burundi
2010-06-17 22:31
Bujumbura - Ten grenades exploded overnight in several parts of Burundi, the latest in a surge of such incidents that started amid a disputed electoral process, the army said on Thursday.
"On Wednesday at around 18:00 GMT, 10 grenades exploded almost simultaneously in several of the country's provinces," said Burundian army spokesperson, Gaspard Baratuza.
He said nobody was injured in the blasts, two of which occurred in the capital Bujumbura. The latest flurry of explosions brings to 20 the number of grenade blasts since Sunday.
"These violent incidents started on June 13 and have continuing every night. They are acts of intimidation carried out in the context of the elections," the army spokesperson said.
The political and security climate has been tense in Burundi since May 24 local polls which saw all of the country's opposition parties accuse President Pierre Nkurunziza's ruling party of rigging its way to victory.
Opposition parties have since announced they would boycott a presidential poll due at the end of the month, leaving the incumbent as the only candidate, despite calls by the international community for them to rejoin the race.
In Burundi, which is still struggling to emerge from 13 years of civil war and is packed with recently demobbed fighters, grenades go for $1 on the black market and are the weapon of choice for everybody, from politically-motivated groups to disgruntled lovers.
- SAPA
