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| General Godefroid Niyombare who led the coup is still on the run |
A botched attempt to overthrow Burundian President, Pierre Nkurunziza
ended in failure on Friday as coup leaders admitted defeat and were arrested or
forced to go on the run from loyalist troops.
General Godefroid Niyombare, who launched the coup in the central
African nation earlier told AFP by telephone that he wanted to give himself up
while other top generals were arrested.
The dramatic end to the coup attempt ended 48 hours of uncertainty over
who was in charge of the small, landlocked and impoverished nation, which has
been gripped by a political crisis over Nkurunziza's controversial bid to stand
for a third consecutive term in office.
"We have decided to surrender," Niyombare said. "I hope
they won't kill us."
A senior police official said Niyombare was still on the run, but that
three other pro-coup generals had been detained. A police official loyal to President
Nkurunziza said they were still alive so they could be put on trial.
The coup leaders' spokesman, Zenon Ndabaneze, was speaking to AFP
confirming that the dissident soldiers had decided to surrender when loyalist
troops arrested him, deputy coup leader Cyrille Ndayirukiye and another senior
figure among the mutineers.
"We decided to give ourselves up. We have laid down our arms. We
have called the security ministry to tell them we no longer have any
arms," Ndabaneze said, seconds before he could be heard being arrested.
"There will be no foul play. We won't kill them, we want to keep
them so they can be judged," the police official told AFP after the
arrests.
The presidency yesterday announced of Nkurunziza’s return to the country
from Tanzania, where he had been when
the coup was attempted.
"He is in Bujumbura in a very secure place," an aide to the
president told AFP. "He will address the nation today."
Related Stories:
- Profile of President Pierre Nkurunziza - The Burundi President who wants a 3rd term and survived a coup
- Burundian Army battle dissident soldiers after army Chief of Staff announces failure of coup
- Burundi dissident general orders closure of airport, borders as Burundi president flies home after coup attempt
- Military coup underway in Burundi. Dissident army officers attempt to take control of government. President Nkuruziza's Army still in charge
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