Hutu rebels attack near Burundi capital, five dead
BUJUMBURA, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Hutu rebels launched a wave of attacks around the Burundi capital on Friday as fringe rebel groups negotiated the return of their exiled leaders at talks in South Africa. "Many bombs were thrown since early Friday morning against our city, five persons died in the attack," a resident of Mutanga north of Bujumbura told Reuters. "Now the army is using helicopters. I think the rebels threw the bombs from hills surrounding the capital Bujumbura, and thousands of residents of rural Bujumbura started to flee." Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) spokesman, Lieutenant Gelase Ndabirabe said they were behind the attacks. "We have been throwing bombs in Bujumbura since early Friday morning, but it was in the objective of defending ourselves against army attacks," Ndabirabe told Reuters. "It's up to the population to leave the field of battle," Ndabirabe said when asked why the FDD had attacked civilians. Fighting has continued in Burundi after the main warring factions failed to reach a ceasefire agreement during talks held in Tanzania earlier this month. The Burundi war, which pits the Tutsi-led army against Hutu rebels, has killed about 300,000 people since it broke out in 1993, according to U.N. figures. SOME TALKS Talks aimed at ending Burundi's nine-year civil war failed to reach an agreement by a November 7 deadline set by regional leaders. Mediators have extended that deadline by two weeks. But Burundi President Pierre Buyoya and minor rebel leaders of the CNDD-FDD and Palipehutu-FNL have signed a partial ceasefire. Buyoya held talks with the CNDD-FDD's Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye and Palipehutu-FNL's Alain Mugabarabona on Thursday night at a meeting chaired by South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma. The three leaders were holding private talks in Pretoria on Friday. "Last night's meeting focused on working out the process for the implementation of the (ceasefire) agreement, including the return to Burundi of exiled leaders, combatants and ordinary members of the CNDD-FDD and Palipehutu-FNL," said Lakela Kaunda, Zuma's spokesman. The two main rebel groups -- the FDD and the Forces of National Liberation (FNL) -- have refused to sign the agreement and analysts say that until they do so the war is likely to continue. The FNL has refused to meet the government for talks, but has been in contact with mediators. Burundian officials said earlier this week they were optimistic that a truce with the FDD led by Pierre Nkurunziza, could be reached this month.
