Gunfire and explosions rang out today in the streets as military forces backing an attempted coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza battled troops loyal to him for control of strategic sites in Burundi's capital.
Weeks of turmoil in this impoverished Central African country boiled over yesterday when an army general announced that Nkurunziza was being ousted. The president was in Tanzania at the time for a meeting with regional leaders about the political crisis.
Nkurunziza's whereabouts today were unknown, although he urged calm and said the situation was under control in a statement on Twitter from his office.
Shooting and explosions could be heard in central Bujumbura as loyalist troops guarding the national broadcaster RTNB exchanged fire with forces believed to support Maj. Gen. Godefroid Niyombare, the senior army officer leading the coup attempt.
The RTNB building and its surroundings were under attack for about 25 minutes, presidential communication adviser Willy Nyamitwe said on Twitter. State radio was playing music after going briefly off the air amid the fighting.
Following one of the clashes, the body of one of the soldiers who supported the coup lay on the edge of a road near the state radio station as troops loyal to Nkurunziza looked on. Police patrolled a deserted major road and some civilians walked timidly down another street, carrying a cross to show neutrality.
The military is divided between supporters of Nkurunziza and Niyombare, who was fired in February as intelligence chief. The army chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Prime Niyongabo, said on state radio late yesterday that he was against Niyombare.
