Burundian soldier detonates bomb killing 2 civilians and himself

A Burundian soldier has detonated a hand grenade in a crowd on Tuesday killing himself and two civilians while injuring four others in the town of Ngozi in northern Burundi.

The soldier, who is from the Ngozi camp, is said to have carried the two hand grenades with him on Tuesday morning to the busiest part of the city before detonating one of it.

“He unpinned one of the two grenades, but it exploded in his hands and killed him on the spot, as well as the motorbike taxi driver carrying him, while five others were injured,” said the administrator of the town, Radjabu Songambere who spoke to AFP.

Hospital sources indicated that the other civilian, who was a driver of a nearby motorbike taxi, died of his injuries at the hospital.

The second hand grenade, which was already half unpinned, was neutralized by the police and later detonated at a secured location.

“Everything indicates that the soldier wanted to carry out the attack in the rush hour, but we do not yet know the motive for this senseless act,” Mr. Songambere said.

He assured that the town is secured and there are no further threats.

Ngozi is located about 130 km north of the capital Bujumbura and the home province of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

According to sources, the town is expected to host this weekend the ruling party’s national convention to elect a new president.