Burundi's president appears in capital for first time since coup attempt

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/17/burundis-president-pierre-nkurunziza-first-appearance

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The Burundian president, Pierre Nkurunziza, has made his first public appearance in the capital, Bujumbura, since the failure of an attempted coup to oust him, warning of a threat posed by Islamist militants from Somalia.

The east African nation was plunged into crisis last week after Nkurunziza said he was seeking a third term of office. Critics said the move would be unconstitutional, and there have been almost daily protests since, stirring memories of an ethnically driven civil war that ended a decade ago.

At a news conference, Nkurunziza, who had not been seen in the capital for days, did not address the crisis in his country but said he was “very preoccupied” by the threat posed by the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabaab. “We take seriously the threat of al-Shabaab,” said Nkurunziza.

Burundi contributes forces to an African Union peacekeeping mission fighting al-Shabaab in Somalia. In recent years, the group has carried out attacks in Kenya and Uganda, which also provide troops. A spokesman for the Islamist group had no immediate comment.

The president’s reappearance came as reports emerged that troops loyal to him had hunted down rival soldiers in a hospital during the fighting provoked by the coup attempt.

Security officials, speaking on condition they not be named, acknowledged the operation had taken place on Thursday when the rebel troops fought a heavy but unsuccessful battle for control over the state radio and television station. The officials said the attack was launched based on reports that one of the top coup leaders, Gen Cyrille Ndayirukiye, was inside Bujumbura’s Bumerec hospital.

An eyewitness said police and soldiers loyal to Nkurunziza had arrived at the hospital and asked if there were any soldiers who had arrived for treatment. The witness said one police officer and two soldiers were being treated there at the time.

The witness, who also asked not to be named, said a soldier then stormed into the emergency ward, and one of the wounded soldiers opened fire inside. A fierce gun battle ensued, with loyalist troops evacuating the hospital and searching it. At least one soldier died in the clash, witnesses said.

AFP reporters saw several bullet holes in the hospital building, while the inside of the facility had been ransacked with equipment destroyed.

Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.