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Burundi: 100 held in crackdown on armed rebels

MORE than 100 men have been arrested in central Burundi in a crackdown on armed rebels, the Gitega provincial governor said yesterday.

Venant Manirambona confirmed that a two-day operation began on Tuesday.

He said a group of 50 young men was detained on Wednesday morning while trying to leave the province for the south.

“We have been surprised by a huge number of young men taking the same direction … when Burundi is going through a difficult political, social and security situation,” he said.

“The services in charge of security had to arrest these persons.”

Security forces have recently reported rebel attacks on military posts.

President Pierre Nkurunziza’s nomination for a further presidential term in April was met by opposition violence that killed dozens and sent hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries, followed by an attempted military coup in May and a series of political assassinations.

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