Army colonel shot dead in Burundi capital

BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AA) – Gunmen shot dead a retired Burundian army colonel and injured his child in the Burundian capital Bujumbura Wednesday morning as the country continues to reel under its year-long security and political crises.

According to Burundian police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye, Colonel Lucien Rufyiri was shot dead at 11 a.m. local time (0900GMT) in front of his home in Bujumbura’s northern Ngagara district.

"His son was also wounded by the attackers who immediately fled," said Nkurikiye, adding that "an investigation is ongoing to find the individuals" who committed the crime.

Rufyiri is the ninth high-ranking officer killed in Burundi since the political crisis began more than a year ago.

Two people were also killed in an armed attack in central Burundi on Tuesday.

"A police officer and a civilian were killed Tuesday in an armed attack at a bar in town Ndava, Mwaro province,” the police spokesman said.

Former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa hosted Burundi peace talks between May 21 and May 24 in Arusha, Tanzania, in an attempt to restart a faltering peace process in the East African country.

Burundi’s security and political crisis started in April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his candidacy for a third term. Since then, more than 400 people have been killed and at least 230,000 have fled the country to seek refuge in neighboring states within the East African region.

The worst of the violence occurred on Dec. 11 when 87 people were killed in clashes in Bujumbura.