Zanzibar (Tanzania) (AFP) - One person was killed and several others were wounded in a bomb attack near a mosque on Tanzania's Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar on Friday, police said.
Police said the bomb went off in the Daranjani commercial district of Stone Town, the UNESCO-listed historical centre of the semi-autonomous Tanzanian archipelago, at around 8:15 pm (1715 GMT). "We are investigating to find out the type of explosive, the criminals and motive. We ask people to help provide information," Senior police official Mkadam Khamis told AFP.
Witnesses said the casualties included worshippers who were coming out of evening prayers from a nearby mosque. The island is also currently hosting a religious gathering of Muslims from across the east Africa region. "We ask people not to panic, as the security forces are on full alert," the police official said.
The attack coincided with the opening of the Zanzibar International Film Festival, which has drawn a number of international visitors, and bars and restaurants have also been packed with people watching World Cup matches.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Hii sasa ni hali ya hatari imeshatufikia...