Burundi condemns Bujumbura blasts, says they were terror attacks
Residents of Bujumbura go about their daily business.
The Burundian government has strongly condemned grenade attacks that happened Monday evening in two separate places in the commercial capital Bujumbura, describing them as terrorist attacks.
"Unidentified terrorists blasted three grenades around 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT) in the district of Mukaza in the commercial capital Bujumbura. Two of them were blasted in the city centre at the main bus station near the former central market of Bujumbura in Rohero zone whereas the other was blasted near the market of Jabe in Bwiza zone," said the press release from the security ministry.
According to the ministry, those devices killed two persons, one on the spot at the bus station and another who succumbed to his injuries in hospital where police had evacuated him for medical care.
The ministry indicated that the three grenade explosions left wounded persons, including one who was seriously injured.
"The security ministry strongly condemns those barbaric attacks. This demonstrates that Burundi is also exposed to terrorism risks," said the security ministry.
It seized the opportunity to extend condolences to family of the deceased and prompt recovery to injured persons.
The ministry pledged to carry out investigations in order to catch terrorists.
Yesterday's blasts in Bujumbura followed a deadly grenade explosion in a bar in the capital Gitega on Sunday and a series of mortars launched on Burundi's international airport Saturday night.
There were no claims of responsibility for Monday's blasts or Sunday's grenade explosion which killed at least two people in a bar in Gitega. The two, a couple, who were taking drinks in the bar, located near the main bus station of Gitega town.
Those grenade blasts followed a mortar attack Saturday night near the Melchior Ndadaye International Airport of Bujumbura.
The Burundian RED-Tabara rebel group, based in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, claimed responsibility for the airport attack, which caused no damage.
