UN official wants urgent talks to end Burundi strife

Plea by high commissioner for human rights to prevent country’s descent into chaos follows Friday’s deadly attack.

Bujumbura, Burundi  The UN is urging the international community to act urgently in order to prevent Burundi from descending into total chaos.

At least 87 people were killed on Friday in the worst attack since unrest began in the African nation in May.

The US government had urged its citizens leave Burundi immediately because of escalating violence linked to President Pierre Nkurunziza’s disputed third term.

In the latest development, the UN high commissioner for human rights has appealed to “all actors in the current crisis, including political leaders and state authorities at the highest level, to take every step possible to stop this deadly escalation and engage in a meaningful and inclusive dialogue”.

In a statement, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said: “With this latest series of bloody events, the country seems to have taken a new step towards outright civil war and tensions are now at bursting point in Bujumbura.”

Source: Al Jazeera