Burundi leader agrees to release 2,000 opposition prisoners

BUJUMBURA, Burundi

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has agreed to open an inclusive political dialogue with the country's opposition movements and also promised to release over 2,000 opposition prisoners, according to official sources.

Addressing a joint press conference with Nkurunziza at the end of his two day visit to the country, Ban said: "President Nkurunziza agrees to open an inclusive dialogue… promised the release of 1,200 opposition prisoners. This is an encouraging step”.

Later, the Burundian presidency tweeted that the number of prisoners to be freed is as high as 2,000.

Ban said that all Burundians and regional and international partners need to work together “to put the country on the path of peace and reconciliation. Additional measures will be taken".

“There is no time to lose. So, it is the future of Burundi," the UN chief said before flying to nearby city of Goma, where he arrived for a two-day visit in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Burundian security and political crisis started last April when Nkurunziza announced his candidacy for a third term.

More than 400 people have been killed and at least 230,000 have fled the country to seek refuge in neighboring states within the East African region. Burundian opposition has repeatedly deplored "arbitrary arrests" of thousands of its activists by security forces.