{{BUJUMBURA, Burundi, May 6}} \u2013 {East African leaders will meet next week to mediate the political crisis in Burundi, Tanzania\u2019s foreign minister said, following days of violent protests against a third term bid by President Pierre Nkurunziza.}<\/p>\n
The \u201cextraordinary summit\u201d meeting of the five-nation regional East Africa Community \u2013 which includes Burundi \u2013 would take place in Tanzania\u2019s economic capital Dar es Salaam on May 13, Bernard Membe said.<\/p>\n
Earlier government and opposition rivals in Burundi held talks on ending deadly demonstrations against a third term bid by the president, officials said Wednesday, as international concern mounted over the crisis.<\/p>\n
Protesters have defied calls to end demonstrations, after more than a week of running battles in which over a dozen people have been killed. UN refugee chief Antonio Guterres said he was \u201cextremely worried\u201d as tens of thousands fled the small central African nation.<\/p>\n
President Pierre Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader from the Hutu majority who has been in power since 2005, has come under intense international pressure to withdraw from the June 26 presidential poll.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a last chance meeting, they have to come up with concrete solutions so that elections can be held in acceptable conditions,\u201d a diplomat said of the talks, warning international funding for polls could be cut if a deal was not struck.<\/p>\n
US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday he was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d about Nkurunziza\u2019s decision to stand again, which he said \u201cflies directly in the face of the constitution\u201d.<\/p>\n
The rivals met late Tuesday and talks were expected to continue Wednesday, as protests continued in some areas of the capital.<\/p>\n
East African foreign ministers, from neighbouring Rwanda and Tanzania, as well as Kenya and Uganda, have also arrived \u201cto propose ways out of crisis,\u201d foreign ministry spokesman Daniel Kabuto said.<\/p>\n
Clashes between rival groups took places in parts of the capital Wednesday, with witnesses reporting at least two grenade explosions. Burundi Red Cross spokesman Alexis Manirakiza said 16 people were wounded.<\/p>\n
However, Burundi\u2019s foreign ministry said that \u201cpeace and security reigned\u201d across the country, apart from \u201ca few districts of the capital\u2026 shaken by illegal demonstrations and violence triggered by certain political opponents.\u201d<\/p>\n
The meetings come after furious protesters dismissed a constitutional court ruling that allows Nkurunziza to run \u2013 a decision made after the court\u2019s vice-president refused to sign the judgement and fled the country instead.<\/p>\n
Vice President Prosper Bazombanza has pleaded for protests to end, offering to release demonstrators who have been arrested, lift arrest warrants issued for key civil society leaders and reopen independent radio stations \u2013 provided \u201cprotests and the insurrection stop\u201d.<\/p>\n
{{AFP}}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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