• SEARCH SOMALINET.COM
• SEARCH DIRECTORY

Enter your search terms Submit search form   Web www.somalinet.com

Search:
FULL DIRECTORY SEARCH

SomaliNet  News    English

Burundi: Gov’t, rebels fail to agree ceasefire Mon. May 19, 2008 08:38 am.- By Bonny Apunyu. - (SomaliNet) After two days of talks, amid fresh clashes between the rival camps south of the capital, the Burundi government and rebel forces failed to reach agreement Sunday on reviving a ceasefire. The talks in Burundian capital Bujumbura between the government and members of the National Liberation Forces (FNL) "were unable to agree on a cessation of hostilities," a diplomat close to the negotiations told AFP. "They managed only a basic agreement on a vague joint statement," said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity. General Godefroy Niyombare, the army's deputy chief of staff, was "satisfied" with the outcome, however, saying the joint declaration would allow more time to study how a viable ceasefire might be implemented. The talks have been aimed at reviving a ceasefire deal signed in 2006. Fresh fighting between government forces and combatants from the FNL -- the last rebel group in Burundi -- erupted in mid-April, leaving more than 100 dead and displacing thousands. Even as the ceasefire talks were underway, Burundi army forces attacked several rebel positions south of Bujumbura on Sunday. "Several soldiers arrived in Magara and attacked FNL positions on the neighbouring hill of Gitwaro," local official Marius Havyarimana told AFP. He said the fighting had been intense and lasted all morning but added it was not immediately clear if there had been any casualties. "The army reacted to a provocation by the FNL, which came to occupy a new position in Gitwaro," army spokesman Adolphe Manirakiza said. "Yesterday alone, they kidnapped a local official and a policeman in Muyira, they continue to steal from the population ... so the army has to react in such cases." Burundi is still recovering from a civil war that started in 1993 and left an estimated 300,000 people dead. -AFP News Category: East Africa Latest Headlines Latest News East Africa threatened by soaring food prices-O... Somalia: 9 civilians killed by Ethiopian soldiers i... Nigerian drug trafficker beheaded in the holy city o... Nigeria: Militant group threatens to attack oil pipe... Philippines to send over 300 soldiers to Liberia for... Nigeria: 12 killed as petrol tanker burst into flame... U.S: Man shoots three people at community college <... Iran: Fresh nuclear talks could resume- says top offi... South Africa: UN boss plans to name SA judge for top... Asia: Jet pilot could face life in prison for ‘delib... More News...