FILE PHOTO
By Peter Saramba Ongiri
MWANZA, Tanzania
Seven police officers were shot dead by bandits late Thursday in Tanzania’s coastal Pwani region, police said.
The patrol was ambushed in Kibiti, around 110 kilometers (70 miles) southwest of commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
Home Affairs Minister Mwigulu Nchemba denied to Anadolu Agency that the killings were related to terrorism.
Government officials have also been targeted by bandits in the region and at least seven have been killed in the last five months.
In February, a senior police intelligence officer was shot and killed by bandits in Kibiti.
“We will hunt them and take them before the court,” Nchemba said. No stone will be left unturned.”
Police Inspector General condemned the killings and called for witnesses to come forward.
The officers were killed when bandits targeted their vehicle, first shooting the driver dead. They also stole the officers’ weapons.
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