Loyalist troops detain Burundi coup leaders

Loyalist troops in Burundi early on Friday detained at least three leaders of a failed coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza, with an AFP reporter hearing the arrest by telephone.

The coup leaders' spokesman, Venon Ndabaneze, was speaking to AFP confirming that the putschists had decided to surrender when loyalist troops arrested him, deputy coup leader Cyrille Ndayirukiye and another senior figure among the mutineers.

AFP remained on the line as the leaders were detained.

The leader of the coup attempt, former intelligence chief General Godefroid Niyombare, also said he was surrendering.

"We have decided to surrender," coup leader General Godefroid Niyombare also said by telephone, adding that troops loyal to the president were approaching him.

"I hope they won't kill us," he added.

It was unclear what happened to him.