Burundi Police Says It Killed At Least 22 Evil-Doers In Pre-Election Violence In Bujumbura

Burundi police on Tuesday said at least 22 “evil-doers” have been killed in clashes between the security forces and an armed group at the weekend, reported Reuters. The fighting broke out 30 kilometers east of Bujumbura, the country’s economic capital.

Police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said an armed group appeared in the hills of western Bujumbura-Rural province last week and engaged in several clashes with police. In the clashes, two members of the police force were killed and six attackers were captured.

Nkurikiye said the notorious group took advantage of the electoral period to cause trouble. He added that a teacher who led the group was among those killed in the week-long operation in the districts of Isale and Nyabiraba.

“Wrongdoers took advantage of this electoral period thinking people are distracted,” Nkurikiye said on the state broadcaster RTNB. “The population should remain calm because security officers are ensuring its security.”

Burundi’s main opposition party, the National Freedom Council, said it saw a link with the May 20 presidential elections.

The country has suffered from decades of ethnic and political violence, including a 1993-2005 civil war in which 300,000 people died, mostly civilians.

Burundi will hold a presidential election in May this year. The election will choose President Pierre Nkurunziza’s successor. Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader, held the power since 2005. During his three terms in office, the East African nation witnessed sporadic violence and international accusations of human rights abuses.

The 2015 election led to deadly unrest in the country as some protested Nkurunziza’s ultimately successful pursuit of another term. Last year, the president announced he would not seek re-election even after a constitutional change allowed him to do so.

In the upcoming election, the ruling CNDD-FDD party’s candidate, Evariste Ndayishimiye, a retired army general who heads the department of military affairs in the president’s office, will contest against CNL party’s Agathon Rwasa.