Soldier survives bullet in head
2005-06-03 22:48
Pretoria - A South African soldier in Burundi survived miraculously on Friday when a bullet hit his armoured helmet at the back, went through his head and emerged from the front of the helmet.
It was planned to take the soldier to a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, after he had been stabilised in the United Nations hospital in Bujumbura.
According to informed sources in Bujumbura, a group of unidentified attackers opened fire on a South African patrol, working as part of the UN forces in the country, in the outskirts of Bujumbura on Friday morning.
The patrol was escorting a group of voters to the polls.
It is believed the shot that hit the soldier was fired by a sharpshooter.
According to his companions, the soldier was hit by the first shot that was fired.
They immediately returned fire and more attackers shot at them.
Soldier was seriously wounded
According to Penangnini Toure of the UN forces, members of the Bujumbura security forces, which accompanied the South African patrol, gave chase, but could not catch any of the attackers.
The defence force said on Friday the soldier had been seriously wounded.
However, they could not say whether the attackers had any specific affiliation.
The infantry helmets worn by South African soldiers are not bullet-resistant, according to experts, and will safeguard a soldier only against shrapnel.
Toure said the attackers were irresponsible and violent people whose aim was to upset the elections.
The first of a series of local and national elections in many years were held in Burundi on Friday in preparation for the presidential election later this year.
According to Toure, this and other isolated incidents on Friday were exceptions and generally the elections "proceeded without serious mishaps".
A hand grenade was thrown at a polling station on Friday morning, but nobody was injured.
Toure thinks the other attacks could have been intended to discourage voters from going to the polls.