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U.S. warns against travel to Burundi
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department warned Sunday against travel to the central African country of Burundi because of increased fighting between the government and rebel forces there. The department said it has ordered the departure of all non-emergency personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Burundi. It recommended that private U.S. citizens in the country consider leaving while commercial flights are still available. Because of the uncertain security situation in Burundi and the other countries in Africa's Great Lakes region, the State Department warned U.S. citizens against traveling there. Sunday's travel warning supersedes the one issued last August and includes updated information on safety and security in Burundi, the State Department said. Burundi has been plagued by civil war since 1993. A three-year transition government was installed in late 2001 as a result of a peace process agreed to by many of Burundi's political parties, but two rebel factions continue combat operations around the capital of Bujumbura and in several areas of the country. Fighting between rebel forces and government troops can be intense, the State Department said, and often involves non-government, non-combatant targets. Rebels have launched rocket and mortar attacks on Bujumbura and other major cities, the department said, and there has been gunfire in and around the capital resulting in numerous injuries and deaths. Vehicles on the nation's major roads have been attacked regularly, and the Embassy believes further attacks are possible. In April, rebels launched rocket and mortar attacks on Bujumbura and other major cities for three days. Some 40 people were wounded, and a dozen were believed killed, the State Department said. Prior to that, rebels since March had fired mortar rounds at night in Bujumbura's outer suburbs. The government of Burundi maintains a nighttime curfew for Bujumbura, as does the U.S. Embassy, the State Department said.
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