State Department in Washington said United States suspended several security assistance programs it had with Burundi.
Burundi has faced series of violent protests and a failed coup since President Pierre Nkurunziza declared that he was running for a third term in office after ruling Burundi for 10 years.
Opposition parties boycotted Monday's Parliamentary elections. The presidential elections is scheduled for July 15th and the opposition says the preesident running for a third term is unconstitutional.
United Nations Spokesman, Farhan Haq said the U.N. electoral observer mission in Burundi concluded that , "the overall environment was not conducive for free, credible and inclusive elections". "Episodes of violence and explosions preceeded and in some cases accompanied election day activities" "The U.N. mission.... observed media freedom restrictions, violations of human rights and fundamental freedom"
"This includes infringements to the right of the political opposition to campaign freely, extra- judicial killings, arbitrary detentions and acts of violence committed by armed youth groups aligned with political parties", he said.
U.S. States Department Spokesman, John Kirby urged the President, Nkurunziza, "to place the welfare of Burundi's citizens above his own political ambitions and participate in dialogue with the opposition and civil society to identify a peaceful solution to this deepening crisis".
Kirby urged that the July 15th presidential election should be postponed until conditions are in place for free, fair and peaceful elections.
Kirby further said,
"In response to the abuses committed by members of the police during political protests, we are suspending all International Law Enforcement Academy and Anti-Terrorism Assistance training that we provide to Burundian Law Enforcement Agencies".
According to witnesses and a police spokesman, at least 6 people including one policeman were killed in Burundi's capital on Wednesday.
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