Burundi protest organisers yesterday called for a two-day halt to demonstrations against President Pierre Nkurunziza's move to seek a third term, which they say violates the constitution and endangers the peace deal that ended a civil war in 2005.

There have been six straight days of protests in the capital Bujumbura, marking the biggest political crisis in the small, landlocked nation in the heart of Africa since the ethnically fuelled civil war came to an end. The presidency has called the protests an "insurrection" and said those found guilty of involvement in the demonstrations would face "severe sanctions"