A Burundi army general is leading a coup against the president

Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza
(Image credit: Sean Gallup / Getty Images)

General Godefroid Niyombare has announced a coup in Burundi, saying that senior army officers are "dismissing" President Pierre Nkurunziza, BBC News reports.

Niyombare said that a national salvation committee will run the country, but an aide to Nkurunziza told BBC News that the coup is "a joke." Niyombare announced the coup on Burundi's Bonesha FM radio station Wednesday, while Nkurunziza was at a conference in Tanzania.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Meghan DeMaria

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.