The European Union said it was withdrawing its election observers from Burundi, saying a decision to go ahead with elections on Monday, without basic conditions to ensure their credibility, would only worsen the crisis in the country.

It said Burundi's decision to go ahead with the election, ignoring pleas to delay it, could also lead to a suspension of EU aid.

The EU said a month ago it had suspended its election observation mission but on Monday it said it had been forced to "definitely withdraw" the observers.