The United Nations said Friday that more than 100,000 people from Burundi have fled to neighboring countries since violence erupted in April and a coup attempt failed this week. Karin de Gruijl, a spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR), said that almost 70,200 people had fled to Tanzania, 26,300 to Rwanda, and nearly 10,000 to the South Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo since early last month. The announcement came after an attempt to overthrow Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza ended in failure, with coup leaders detained or being forced to run, ending uncertainty over who was in charge of the nation. De Gruijl noted that the increased unrest in the country had sent many fleeing to neighboring Tanzania, which reopened its borders May 4.
