BUJUMBURA
A fresh wave of anti-regime demonstrations broke out Saturday in Burundian capital Bujumbura against plans by President Pierre Nkurinziza to seek a third term in office.
Protesters blocked several major streets and erected barricades in a number of neighborhoods in the capital.
"We have no one but ourselves to depend on, and now we are in a war against the army and police," Philippe Ryumeko, a young protester from the neighborhood of Nyakabiga, told Anadolu Agency.
Demonstrators and human rights activist also lamented the absence of coverage of developments in the country by private media.
Innocent Muhozi, head of the privately-owned broadcasting network Renaissance, told Anadolu Agency that "the only radio station available now is the national one, which only broadcasts pro-regime messages."
The situation remains tense in Burundi after a group of generals on Wednesday led by former intelligence chief Godefroid Niyombare announced the dismissal of Nkurunziza, who was in Tanzania at the time to attend a regional summit.
The following day, however, Nkurunziza returned to Burundi, announcing that the coup attempt had failed.
On Friday, Burundian security forces arrested three leaders of the failed coup attempt against Nkurunziza.
Burundi has been dogged by instability since April 26, when anti-Nkurunziza demonstrators took to the streets to protest the president's plan to seek a third term in office.
The country's opposition says Nkurunziza does not have the right to seek a third term, citing Burundi's constitution, which limits the number of terms a president can serve to two.
