Some of the leaders of the coup attempt against the president of Burundi have reportedly been arrested.  It’s not clear if the leader, Major General Godefroid Niyombare, is among them.  But it seems he is resigned to coming out on the losing side.

“We have decided to surrender,” General Niyombare told Western reporters as troops loyal to President Pierre Nkurunziza approached him.  “I hope they won't kill us.”

Mr. Nkurunziza had returned to Burundi from a summit in Tanzania, but had kept a low profile as shots rang out around the capital Bujumbura.  At least five soldiers were killed in the fighting.

The coup at first appeared to have public support.  Thousands came out on the streets when Gen. Niyombare announced that he had overthrown the Nkurunziza regime and was in negotiations with civic groups to establish a provisional government.  But the troops appear to be loyal to Niyombare’s boss.

President Nkurunziza ignited weeks of increasingly violent protests with his announcement that he planned to seek a third term in office.  Opponents say that violates a cease-fire that ended the country’s civil war in 2005.  But Nkurunziza and Burundi’s high court said that because he was appointed to his first term rather than having been elected, he gets to run again.