Things have taken an ugly turn in Burundi, with the two major rebel movements exchanging fire outside the capital, Bujumbura, this week. The larger of the two, Pierre Nkurunziza’s Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD), has yet again reneged on the eight-month peace deal it struck with the transitional government.

The head of Burundi's power-sharing government and the leader of its largest Hutu rebel group were in Kampala on Tuesday for talks aimed at reviving a moribund truce, days ahead of a regional summit on ending a decade-old civil war in the central African country.

Human rights groups, civil society organisations and opposition political parties have protested a new law granting temporary immunity to political leaders who returned from exile and are taking part in transitional government institutions in Burundi. The immunity law, which was approved by the National Assembly on 27 August, states: "The temporary immunity covers crimes with a political aim committed from 1 July 1962 (Burundi's independence) to the date of its promulgation (27 August 2003)".

The massive and unexpected attack, launched by the rebel Palipehutu-Forces for National Liberation (FNL) on Bujumbura during the early hours of July 7 was a rude reminder that the lengthy peace process has not yet been able to achieve its goal. Burundi is yet again bleeding.