The African Union warned Thursday the situation in Burundi was not suitable to hold elections, saying it could not send poll observers after deadly protests triggered by the president's bid for a third term in power.

"The environment is not conducive for an election. You can't be going into a country meeting refugees leaving, and saying 'we are gong to observe the elections,'" AU Commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told Chinese broadcaster CCTV. "As things stand I don't even see how elections can take place under these conditions."