Female police officer stoned and dragged through the streets of Burundian capital

Protesters attack a fe

A policewoman was beaten and dragged along the road for allegedly being among a group of blue-clad officers who opened fire on protesters as regional leaders met in Tanzania to try and forge peace in the electoral crisis.

She was accused of being part of the group officers that opened fire on a crowd with live ammunition as well as deploying tear gas.

_{The officer was knocked to the ground (GoranTomasevic/Reuters)}

The officer was among several injured after armed police and protesters clashed again in the Burundian capital during the crisis that has rocked the country for the past two weeks.

One person was killed during the confrontation in Butarere, which saw protesters attempt to burn down the house of a police chief, while another two were killed after a grenade was thrown in a demonstration in another part of the city.

_{Men kick the police woman (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)}
An estimated 22 people have been killed in total and tens of thousands more have fled amid unrest over the decision by Pierre Nkurunziza to stand for a third term in office as president, contrary to the peace agreement that ended the country’s long civil war and, his critics say, contrary to the constitution.
Both the African Union and the EU has called for the June presidential election to be postponed, and Belgium, Burundi’s former colonial power, has cut nearly $6 million (£3.8 million) in aid.
But Mr Nkurunziza has rejected any delay to the poll, saying such a move would plunge the country into a deeper crisis. He told the BBC the unrest was being orchestrated by “outside forces” but maintained the election would be “free and fair” and its result respected.

_{A man protects the officer from the crowd (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)}
The United States showed its concern for the growing tension by sending its most senior diplomat for Africa to the regional summit in Tanzania. Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said last week she believed the crisis could destabilise the entire Great Lakes region of east and central Africa.
It has been reported that Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the assistant secretary for African affairs, could threaten sanctions for Burundi if the violence continues.