Acid attack in western Zanzibar on 2 volunteers investigated

  

August 9, 2013 (ZANZIBAR, Tanzania) -- Assailants on the East African island of Zanzibar threw acid on two British women volunteering at a primary school on the Tanzanian island, police said Thursday.

The attackers, riding on a small motorcycle, threw the acid on the women's faces and arms as they were walking, said Mkadam Khamis, a police commander on the island. The attack took place Wednesday night in an area of the island's capital city known as Stone Town, an area popular with tourists.

The women were transferred to Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, for medical treatment. The pair were volunteer teaching at a primary school affiliated with the Anglican Church, Khamis said.

Acid attacks scar their victims. Zanzibar has experienced a bout of Christian vs. Muslim violence in recent months, though authorities did not immediately provide a motive for the attack.

The attack against the Britons is at least the third acid attack in Zanzibar since last year.

"We are looking after the attackers, and we are expanding our police networks in and outside the country to make sure we apprehend them", said Khamis.

A spokeswoman for Britain's Foreign Office said Britain is aware of the incident and is providing consular assistance to the women.

Get more National/World »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•