The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, has condemned the recent upsurge of violence in Burundi, saying it had major implications for hundreds of thousands of refugees and returnees.

She said attacks on civilians destabilized areas where thousands of returnees were trying to start a new life.

Thousands of civilians were said to have fled their homes near Bujumbura airport following a rebel attack last week in which at least one-hundred-and-eighty people died.

On Tuesday, hundreds of villagers had to flee their homes to escape fighting between the Tutsi-led army and Hutu rebels.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
 

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