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BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) — Burundi's attorney general has acknowledged that the government buried dozens of suspected rebels who died in December attacks on four military bases without notifying their families, but fell short of admitting the existence of mass graves.
Human rights groups have accused the Burundi government of trying to hide the extent of the killings during the Dec. 11 attacks by suspected rebels by burying bodies in mass graves.
Valentin Bagorikunda said Thursday that out of 87 people who died, the government buried 58 bodies of suspected rebels. Eight of those killed in the attacks were security officials, he says.
At least 400 people have died in Burundi since April when President Pierre Nkurunziza launched his campaign for a third term in office which many oppose. Nkurunziza was re-elected in July.
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This story has been corrected to say that four military bases were attacked, not three.
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