20 killed in rebel attack in west Burundi

NAIROBI: An attack by rebels in western Burundi has killed 20 people, all but one of them civilians, the government said on Saturday.

The attack was claimed by the RED-Tabara rebel group, which in its own statement said it had killed 10 members of the security forces. The attack occurred on Friday evening in the town of Vugizo, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo where the rebels have a base.

The government said the “terrorist, vile, barbaric act” targeted civilians and killed “12 children, including five less than five years old; three women including two who are pregnant; and five men including a policeman who came to help the civilians”. Nine other people were wounded and have been hospitalised.