Between 250 and 300 students were kidnapped by rebels in a dawn raid on a school in Burundi today, a local government administrator said.
Mr Come Hatungimana said that Hutu rebels had set fire to the library and boarding section of Musema school before making off with all the male pupils, except four who managed to escape.
"It seems that they are headed towards Kibira forest," Mr Hatungimana said. "I think the rebels want to recruit them into the rebellion".
A rebel commander from the main Hutu FDD group confirmed from an undisclosed location the group had taken the pupils, thought to be aged between 13 and 21.
It was the second such abduction by rebels in the past week.
The Burundian army is hunting for several teachers and more than 50 children aged between 10 and 16 who were abducted from their primary school on Tuesday.