Near General Assassination

Burundi army chief narrowly escapes assassination. 

The bid to kill a close ally of President Pierre Nkurunziza provides 

more evidence of the country's descent into bloodshed 

A coup attempt against President Pierre Nkurunziza took place in May this year.

Burundi's political unrest Illescalated on Friday when the country's army commander 

narrowly survived an assassination attempt on the streets of the capital, Bujumbura. 

Gunmen ambushed a motorcade carrying General Prime Niyongabo, the chief of staff of the 

army, as he travelled through the city. 

The attackers killed four Of Gen Niyongabo's bodyguards, but the general himself escaped 

unharmed. A police source told Agence France Press news agency that the gunmen wore army 

uniforms and travelled in a military vehicle. 

"It was sudden and violent," he said. "Four bodyguards were killed instantly. He (Gen 

Niyongabol managed to survive only because the driver managed to overtake a bus 

transporting police officers to work, and the attackers could not keep up." 

Burundi, which shares the same ethnic balance as neighbouring Rwanda, endured years of 

civil war between a Tutsi minority and Hutu majority. 

Unrest has mounted since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would amend the 

constitution and seek a third term of office. He was briefly overthrown during an attempted 

coup121 in May, but quickly restored to office. In July, Mr Nkurunziza won an election marred 

by boycotts131 and a turnout of only 30 per cent. 

But the opposition consider Mr Nkurunziza to be an illegal leader. The attempt to kill the 

army commander may be further evidence of a bid to overthrow the president by force. 

Last month, a senior ally of the president, Gen Adolphe Nshimirimana, was assassinated in 

similar circumstances. Meanwhile, the regime has been mounting a violent campaign against 

critics of Mr Nkurunziza's third term. Earlier this week, the spokesman of an opposition party 

was shot dead in Bujumbura. 

Tens of thousands of refugees have fled Burundi, fearing the possible outbreak of another 

civil war. Decades of fighting claimed perhaps 300,000 lives until a final peace agreement was 

signed in 2006.