UN chief deplores deadly attack in Burundi

UNITED NATIONS - The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday strongly condemned the armed attack that took place Sunday near Burundi's capital that killed and injured scores of people, and called on all parties to exercise restraint.

The Secretary-General noted that "this senseless attack comes at a time when Burundi is trying to consolidate recent gains in peace and stability following decades of civil war," said a statement issued by Ban's spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General conveys his deepest condolences to the families of the victims. He hopes that the perpetrators of these crimes will be brought to justice promptly and calls on all parties to exercise restraint," the statement said.

According to media reports, at least 36 people have been killed in the attack in which unidentified gunmen opened fire at a crowded bar near Bujumbura.  

The UN has an office in Burundi (BNUB) to help the Central African country as it continues on the path towards recovery from decades of civil war and ethnic fighting.

In a report issued last December, Ban said that the security situation in the country, although relatively stable over 2010, remains a concern, with a high incidence of criminal activities such as armed robbery, killings and sexual violence, as well as "a significant increase in human rights violations."