Grenade blasts kill 3 amid protests against Burundian president's third term

At least three persons including two policemen and a civilian died and 17 others were injured in two separate grenade attacks against police posts in the Burundian capital Bujumbura on Friday night.

"In Kamenge neighborhood (north of the capital Bujumbura), five unidentified persons blasted two grenades at a police post, killing the head of the police in neighborhoods located in the north of the capital and another policeman as well as a civilian," said here Burundian Police Deputy-Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye in a press conference on Saturday.

According to him, 12 others were injured during the explosion of two grenades at Kamenge.

Nkurikiye indicated that the grenade attacks occurred at about 19:30 (17:30 GMT).

He added that a separate grenade attack happened at a police post near the former Bujumbura Central Market.

"Almost at the same time, unidentified people blasted a grenade against a police post at the former Bujumbura Central Market, injuring five policemen," said Nkurikiye.

He indicated that two cars were also damaged and added that investigations have started to identify the attackers.

The grenade attacks against the two police posts took place amid protests in some suburbs of the Burundian capital Bujumbura that started Sunday against the third term of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza in the presidential election due on June 26.

The Roman Catholic Church in Burundi, some civil society organizations and some opposition parties are against Nkurunziza's third term, arguing that if he runs for third term, it will be a violation of the Burundian constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement that provide only two terms of five years each for a president of Burundi.