UN employee killed in Burundi violence

A UN employee was among seven people killed in Burundi at the weekend by armed men dressed in police uniform, the UN spokesman said today.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the killings on Saturday in a Bujumbura bar and called for a full investigation.

"Preliminary reports suggest that the attack was conducted by persons in police uniform," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The UN staff member, who was a Burundian national, was working for the UN Development Program.

Ban also called on Burundi's security forces to exercise maximum restraint during a "forcible disarmament campaign" that left several dead including a police officer.
 

Burundi has suffered a dramatic rise in killings, arrests and detentions since President Pierre Nkurunziza launched a controversial bid to stand for a third term in April.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for dialogue between the government and the opposition to end the crisis.