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News > World

Former Burundi Army Chief Killed

  • Protests have continued in Burundi months after a failed coup.

    Protests have continued in Burundi months after a failed coup. | Photo: Reuters

Published 16 August 2015
Opinion

The United Nations has warned Burundi is creeping towards chaos.

Former Burundian army head Colonel Jean Bikomagu was assassinated Saturday, as the African nation remained on edge after months of political turmoil.

Unidentified attackers killed Bikomagu during a drive-by shooting, family members told AFP.

The killing came a day after the United Nations warned Burundi was at risk of descending into chaos.

“Burundi has been slipping closer to the edge with every high-profile attack and killing, and we call on leaders on all sides to take concrete steps to renounce the use of violence and to resolve differences peacefully,” warned Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights according to U.N. News.

“Where violations and abuses have occurred, there need to be prompt investigations with a view to bringing the perpetrators to account and justice for victims,” she said.

Back in May, the country saw a failed coup attempt against President Pierre Nkurunziza which ended with the arrest of most of those involved.

The unrest has seen hundreds killed, including a senior opposition figure, many critical media outlet shut down and a major crackdown on protests by the police and military troops.

More than 150,000 people have fled the country since the beginning of the unrest back in April out of fear of a return to civil war. The last ethnically-fueled civil war claimed the lives of more than 300,000 people.

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