Grenade blast injures policeman in Burundi's capital

Xinhua

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One policeman was injured in a grenade explosion that targeted policemen who were Wednesday morning rehabilitating a road damaged during protests in the Burundian capital Bujumbura, a police spokesman has told Xinhua.

"The grenade attack occurred early in the morning at about 06: 00 (04:00 GMT) when police agents were rehabilitating a road damaged during the period of protests at Jabe neighborhood. One policeman was injured and was evacuated to hospital," said Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye.

According to Nkurikiye, gunshots were also heard right after the grenade explosion.

The unidentified attacker ran away after detonating the grenade, he said.

Jabe is one of the neighborhoods in the Burundian capital Bujumbura where demonstrations against the third term bid of President Pierre Nkurunziza took place.

At least 80 persons were killed in protests against the third term bid of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza that broke out after the ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), designated Nkurunziza as its candidate for the presidential election.

The opposition argued that Nkurunziza's third term bid was a violation of the National Constitution and the Arusha Agreement.

However, the country's Constitutional Court earlier in May issued a ruling saying that Nkurunziza's 2005-2010 term should not be considered as a term, arguing that he was elected by the parliament and not directly by citizens.

Despite boycott by the opposition, the country held election on July 21. Provisional result shows Nkurunziza appearing winner of the election while UN says the election wasn't "inclusive, free or credible." Enditem