BUJUMBURA
Burundi's Interior Minister Edouard Nduwimana said Wednesday that the situation would return to normal soon in the turbulent African country.
The minister's remarks came only hours after the chief of staff of the Burundian army, Godefroid Niyombare, announced the dismissal of President Pierre Nkurunziza.
"It is all about a group of people – led by Niyombare – who claimed to have taken over power, but this will not last for long," Nduwimana told Anadolu Agency.
The minister denounced the reported coup, calling on the people of Burundi to remain united.
"The situation will go back to normal very soon," he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, a group of army leaders sealed Burundi's border as well as the main airport in capital Bujumbura to prevent Nkurunziza, who was in Tanzania to attend a regional summit, from returning to the country.
Burundi descended into chaos almost a month ago when Nkurunziza said he would seek a third term in office.
The opposition says by doing this, the president would be violating the constitution, which limits to two the number of terms a president could have in office.
