Burundi’s army chief of staff has survived an assassination attempt on a busy road in the capital, Bujumbura.
Gen Prime Niyongabo was heading to his office when his convoy ran into men armed with guns and rockets. The men attacked his motorcade just before 07:00 local time.
Rwandan police have confirmed the attack, adding that at least seven people have lost their lives.
One person has been arrested while two others were killed in the ensuing clash.
Four bodyguards lost their lives as well as a female police officer, a senior police source said.
Reinforcements have already been deployed in the city as police pursue the remainder of the attackers.
Tension remains high in the country following President Pierre Nkurunziza’s successful election for a third term in July.
Nkurunziza won a highly-controversial third term in the July polls that the United Nations described as not being free or fair.
His bid sparked an attempted coup and months of civil unrest led by opposition groups who condemned his re-election as being unconstitutional.
The country has also experienced a string of killings since his re-election, including the assassination of his top security chief in a rocket attack last month.
