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One killed in Burundi explosion

Burundi

At least one person was killed and five wounded Wednesday as grenade explosions rocked downtown Bujumbura, capital of Burundi.

The city’s mayor told AFP “Two grenades exploded near the central station, leaving one killed and two wounded. A third went off near the BNDE (National Bank of Economic Development), wounding three people.”

“All the victims are innocent civilians,” he added.

The police and Burundian army moved in swiftly to control the situation which happened ten minutes apart.

Burundi has been plunged into a deep political crisis since the end of April 2015.

President Pierre Nkurunziza’s re-election in July for a third term has irked the opposition.

The Burundian authorities in May foiled a military coup brutally suppressing six weeks of demonstrations in Bujumbura but failed to contain widespread violence.

More than 400 lives have been lost while some 230,000 have fled.

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