As a result of the continuing violence in Burundi, the US State Department announced it would be pulling all non-emergency US government personnel and family members of US government employees out of the country “as soon as it is feasible to do so”.
In a travel warning, the State Department said the US Embassy could only offer limited emergency services to its citizens in Burundi.
Political violence continues throughout the country following contested elections, an attempted coup and the controversy over President Pierre Nkurunziza controversially standing for—and winning—a third term in office, AFP reported.
Armed groups frequently stage gunfire and grenade attacks, but not usually at foreigners, the Department added.
“Demonstrations, gatherings and even sporting events that are intended to be peaceful can turn violent without advance warning,” it added.
“More than 150 armed men attacked three army installations on Friday, leaving 79 of them dead,” army spokesperson Col. Gaspard Baratuza said on Saturday.
Eight security personnel, four from the police and four from the army, also died in the raid.
In the hours following the attacks, residents reported seeing army officers moving from door-to-door in some districts and dragging people from their homes and shooting them dead.
At least 28 bodies were found in the streets, many had been shot in the back of the head and had their hands tied behind their backs.
