Burundi rebels fire at Belgian plane, two wounded

BUJUMBURA, Burundi (Reuters) -- Two passengers aboard a Belgian Sabena Airlines commercial flight from Brussels were injured when Burundi rebels fired on the plane as it approached the capital Bujumbura early on Tuesday, passengers said.

They said the plane, an Airbus A-300 with over 150 passengers aboard, was fired on as it was coming in to land at Bujumbura airport 2:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Monday). One passenger was wounded in the hand, apparently by a direct hit, while the other was injured from a ricochet.

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The plane, which was due to fly on to Nairobi and return to Brussels, landed safely but did not continue the flight.

A Sabena official said: "There has been an incident, and we will not be flying again tonight." Officials declined further comment, and journalists were kept away from passengers.

However passengers contacted by the media said they saw tracer fire and heard the sound of shots hitting the plane.

"It looked like there was a firework display, and suddenly there was shouting in the plane," said a staff member of an international organization who had just arrived to start work in Burundi.

Bujumbura airport is situated outside the capital in an area regularly attacked by rebels.

Hutu rebels have been waging an insurgency against the Tutsi-dominated government and army since 1983. The whole country is under a nightly curfew, during which rebels often make their presence felt.

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