Burundi national radio, TV broadcasts suspended after coup attempt

Bujumbura, May 14 (IANS/EFE) Burundi national public broadcasting RTNB television and radio station were apparently shut down on Thursday after violent clashes erupted around its headquarters between supporters of President Pierre Nkurunziza and the military forces backing the coup attempt declared on Wednesday.

Other Burundian private radio stations stopped broadcasting and have been closed, according to local media.

Turmoil has descend upon Burundi since the army tried to overthrow Nkurunziza on Wednesday to put an end to the waves of violent protests against the president's unconstitutional decision to run for a third term in June's elections.

Before the transmission was cut, RTNB broadcast a message from the president and army Chief of Staff Gen. Prime Niyongabo who asked the military to end the insurgency.

The president, still in Tanzania for a conference, phoned the station to insist that the coup attempt failed, calling on Burundians to remain calm.

Other media outlets such as Isanganiro, Bonesha, RPA and Renaissance TV were also taken off the air after various attacks by unknown assailants.

The private Bonesha radio station, which broadcast the speech of Gen. Godefroid Niyombare when he announced the president's ouster, was attacked on Wednesday night with artillery and shut down by the military on Thursday morning, the station posted on its Twitter account.

Protests flooded Burundi after Nkurunziza announced his unconstitutional presidential bid, while the situation was made worse by the heavy-handed suppression of protesters.

--IANS/EFE

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