A summit by East African leaders to discuss the crisis in Burundi over the third term ambition of President Pierre Nkurunziza will hold in Tanzania on Wednesday.

The embattled Burundi president is expected at the meeting, as violence and demonstrations spread. The latest was the alleged shooting of protestors by the police, on the outskirts of the capital of Bujumbura.

The number of casualties is yet unknown.

Despite the protests, in which over 18 people have died, Nkurunziza has said he would press on with his election bid, although the United States, other Western nations and several African countries have urged him not to run.

The European Union and others have suspended or are reviewing some aid, saying violence must stop.

Nkurunziza has pointed to a constitutional court ruling that said his first term did not count because he was picked at the time by lawmakers not chosen in a popular vote.

Opponents say the court is biased and Britain, also a donor, has questioned the court’s neutrality East African leaders, including Nkurunziza, will meet in Tanzania on Wednesday to discuss the crisis and rising tensions in a region with a history of ethnic conflict.

Early today, police fired guns and teargas towards protesters throwing stones in a suburb of Burundi’s capital on Tuesday during a demonstration against the president’s bid for a third term, Reuters witnesses said.

At least two police officers fired guns towards lines of demonstrators during clashes in Butarere district, one Reuters witness said. Another saw protesters grab a policewoman and beat her up, saying she fired at them, before letting her go.

A protester told Reuters a woman was shot dead in Butarere, where there was heavy gunfire. Local media, citing police, said a grenade thrown in another district killed two people.

If confirmed, the deaths would take the number killed since demonstrations erupted on April 26 to at least 22, based on an unofficial tally by activists.

Opponents say President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for another five years in office in a June 26 election violates the constitution and a peace deal that ended civil war in 2005. Both documents set a two-term limit but a court ruled he could run.

“We want good leadership. We are suffering every day,” one protester told Reuters Television, without giving his name. “We don’t want his third term. The police men are killing people.”