Tutsi general killed in Burundi attack

A Tutsi general and security advisor to Burundi’s vice-president was killed in an attack by heavily-armed men on Monday, along with his wife and daughter, a security source said.

General Athanase Kararuza was dropping his daughter off at school in the Gihosha neighbourhood when they were attacked at around 7:15 am (0515 GMT), the high-ranking security source said.

“They attacked him with rockets and grenades, his security detail tried to respond but unfortunately General Kararuza and his wife were killed,” he told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“His daughter succumbed to her injuries in hospital although the doctors did everything to save her,” he said.

Several other high-placed security sources and the main spokesman at the presidency confirmed the attack and the death of Kararuza, who served in the former Tutsi-dominated army.

Burundi has been in turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a third term, which he went on to win in July 2015, with violence leaving more than 500 people dead. More than 270,000 people have fled the country.

Numerous politicians, civil society leaders and army officers have been killed or narrowly escaped attacks since the start of the crisis. Such attacks are never claimed, with both sides systematically denying any responsibility. AFP