BUJUMBURA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The governor of the Burundian western Bubanza province Tharcisse Niyongabo Tuesday night narrowly escaped death in an ambush that targeted his car at Gihanga, 15km west of the Burundian capital Bujumbura, the governor said Wednesday.
"The ambush happened yesterday around 19:30 as I was heading to my home in Bubanza from Gatumba where I had participated in a handover-takeover ceremony between the new commander and the former commander of the 110th Brigade," Niyongabo said.
Niyongabo said the gunmen, who attacked his car from Rukoko natural reserve, exchanged gunfire with his guards, adding that the car managed to continue its way.
"No one aboard my car was hurt, but that the car was slightly damaged by the bullets," he said.
He said that security measures have been taken to kick away bandits operating from that area.
Security has been disrupted for several times in villages located near Burundi's Rukoko forest reserve with thefts and ambushes on the road linking Bujumbura to Cibitoke close to those villages.
Thefts and ambushes are often mounted by gunmen who often retreat to the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo via Rukoko forest reserve.
