After failed coup, Burundi deploys heavily armed soldiers to quell anti-government protests

Soldiers from a special unit disperse a group of protesters by firing in the air in the Musaga neighborhood of Bujumbura, Burundi, Monday May 18, 2015.The army has deployed throughout the town as hundreds return to the streets Monday to protest the president's decision to seek a third term in office. (Photo/Jerome Delay) (The Associated Press)

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A soldier from a special unit motions journalists to leave the area during protests in the Musaga neighborhood of Bujumbura, Burundi, Monday May 18, 2015. The army has deployed throughout the town as hundreds return to the streets Monday to protest the president's decision to seek a third term in office. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) (The Associated Press)

Soldiers from two different units argue after a special unit dispersed a group of protesters by firing in the air in the Musaga neighborhood of Bujumbura, Burundi, Monday May 18, 2015. The army has deployed throughout the town as hundreds return to the streets Monday to protest the president's decision to seek a third term. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) (The Associated Press)

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – Heavily armed soldiers have been deployed in Burundi to quell protests against the president's bid for a third term, which sparked a coup attempt last week that was foiled.

In the Musaga neighborhood of the capital, Bujumbura, armed soldiers faced off on Tuesday with hundreds of angry protesters calling on President Pierre Nkurunziza to rescind his decision to seek another term in office, which many say is unconstitutional.

An Associated Press reporter in Musaga saw two soldiers firing live rounds into a crowd of protesters, who repeatedly shouted, "Shoot us."

The soldiers are armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

There was no police presence, signaling the army, which previously had acted as a buffer between protesters and the police, has now taken over operations against demonstrators.