Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza on Sunday made his first appearance since an attempted coup, looking relaxed and sending a clear message he was back in charge of the central African nation.

Dressed in a blue blazer and polo shirt, the president smiled and shook hands with reporters at the presidency in Bujumbura's city center. He gave only a brief statement, without even mentioning this week's attempt to overthrow him.

Uganda said Saturday it was boosting security measures following fresh threats against the east African nation by Somalia's al-Qaida-linked Shebab rebels.

A statement by police said a new video purportedly from the Islamists and urging attacks in Uganda and Burundi -- nations that both contribute troops to the African Union's AMISOM force in Somalia -- has been circulated online.

Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza was in a confident, defiant mood as his motorcade rolled back into the capital Bujumbura following a failed coup, cheered by supporters and safely under the watch of loyalist troops who fought off the uprising.

With the plotters in detention or on the run, state radio still broadcasting the government message and independent media silenced, there was little doubt of who was in charge after two days of uncertainty.

Burundi's government was Saturday accused of launching a campaign of repression against independent media, the day after loyalist troops defeated an attempted coup against the central African nation's president.

Seventeen alleged coup plotters, including a former defense minister and two top police commissioners, also appeared before a state prosecutor to face accusations of "attempting to overthrow the state". Their lawyer alleged they had been severely beaten.

An attempt to overthrow Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza ended in failure on Friday as coup leaders admitted defeat and were arrested or forced to go on the run from loyalist troops.

General Godefroid Niyombare, who launched the coup in the central African nation earlier in the week, told AFP by telephone that he wanted to give himself up, while other top generals were arrested.

Burundian troops loyal to the president fought off soldiers backing a top general Thursday a day after he launched a coup against the central African nation's leader Pierre Nkurunziza.

Rival factions fought intense battles around the state television and radio complex, with broadcasts to the nation halted for some time, but resuming after a fierce attack by coup troops was repulsed.

Residents of Bujumbura cowered at home as rival armed troops were out in force in the city's streets on Thursday, the day after an attempted coup plunged Burundi deeper into crisis.

Fear and confusion gripped the lakeside capital of the central African nation, with many residents hunkering down in their houses, afraid to go out into streets where it was unclear who was in control, or whose side armed soldiers and police were on.

Rival factions of Burundi's army fought intense battles Thursday for control of the capital, a day after a top general launched a coup to oust the president of the central African nation Pierre Nkurunziza.

The clashes were centered around the state television and radio complex, with broadcasts to the nation halted, before resuming after an attack was repulsed.

A top Burundian general launched a coup attempt against President Pierre Nkurunziza on Wednesday, capping weeks of increasingly violent protests against the leader's controversial bid for a third term.

General Godefroid Niyombare, a former intelligence chief who was sacked earlier in the year, announced via a private radio station that the president had been overthrown hours after he left for neighboring Tanzania for talks with regional leaders.

Burundi police opened fire on protesters Tuesday as President Pierre Nkurunziza defied international pressure to end a controversial third term bid, ahead of a regional summit to address the crisis.

One protester died in fresh clashes with police on the streets of Burundi's capital Bujumbura, while two others were reported killed overnight in a grenade explosion.