Burundi elections: Pierre Nkurunziza seeks third term amid violence

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza is standing for a third consecutive term in elections that have been denounced by his opponents as unconstitutional.

The opposition says the president is only entitled to stand for two terms. Public anger over his bid for a third term provoked violent protests in April and a failed coup attempt in May.

Polls opened at 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT), after a night of gunfire and explosions in the capital Bujumbura. The BBC's Maud Jullien in Bujumbura says shooting is continuing in the streets.

The president's office has described the latest protests as terrorist acts intended to disrupt the election. None of the president's seven challengers in the election has made a significant impact, correspondents say. In addition several leading opposition parties have said they would boycott the vote.

Critics say that a win for President Nkurunziza would be a hollow triumph that will result in him governing a bitterly-divided nation.

"The government has opted to isolate itself and go ahead with pseudo-elections," prominent opposition figure Leonce Ngendakumana was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying after negotiations on the crisis broke down on Sunday. Another opposition figure, Jean Minani, accused the government of being "very irresponsible". "They have refused to save Burundi from sliding into an abyss," he said.