New violence in Burundi despite peace deal
BUJUMBURA, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Burundi's army on Wednesday accused rebels of killing four people in an ambush and undermining a fragile new peace agreement in the wartorn country.
The Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD), the main Hutu rebel group, denied army allegations that its fighters were responsible for the attack on Tuesday evening in the northern province of Kayanza.
"FDD rebels ambushed a van carrying traders, killed four people and stole their money," army spokesman Colonel Augustin Nzabampema said.
An FDD spokesman however denied blame.
"There are groups of armed bandits who continue to terrorise the population, killing people in ambushes on roads, these groups claim to be combatants of FDD but they are not," said Gelase Ndabirabe.
"We plan to discuss this issue with the army so that we can put our forces together to fight against these troublemakers."
A first contingent of Mozambican peacekeepers arrived in Burundi's capital Bujumbura on Wednesday, joining Ethiopian and South African forces already monitoring the shaky peace deal.
"We have received 20 Mozambican soldiers today, the remaining troops are expected by Saturday this week," said Mamadou Bah, head of the African Union peace mission. Mozambique plans to send a total of 228 soldiers.
The FDD signed a peace accord with the Tutsi-led government this month intended to end a decade of war that has killed 300,000 of the country's 6.5 million people.
Scattered violence persists, with government officials blaming elements of the FDD and a second Hutu rebel group, the Forces for National Liberation.
Mozambique's peace mission, delayed by money and equipment problems, will cost more than $14 million, funded by its government and donor countries including Britain.
"We continue in our effort to make other countries contribute either in bilateral agreements or as part of the African Union peace mission," said Henrique Banze, Mozambique's deputy defence minister.
The mission will stay for a year to shore up the truce, pending the expected deployment of U.N. peacekeepers.
Mozambican officials said their soldiers would take on tasks ranging from humanitarian aid to the possible demobilisation of fighting forces in Burundi.
