A Roman Catholic priest in Zanzibar (pictured above) has received treatment in hospital after attackers threw acid at him on a street in the island's capital, police say.
Elderly priest Joseph Anselmo Mwang’amba 60, was attacked as he was leaving an internet cafe in the island's old town.
It follows a similar
attack on two young British women there last month.
Tensions between the
majority Muslim population and Christians have been on the increase in recent
years, as well as on mainland Tanzania.
"He sustained
burns in his face and shoulders. The acid burnt through his shirt,"
Zanzibar police spokesman Mohamed Mhina told Reuters.
Tanzanian police say
they are searching for witnesses to the attack which occurred in the old part
of Zanzibar City, Stone Town, on Friday afternoon.
It is the latest in a
series of assaults on religious figures in the country and the fifth acid
attack since November, when a Muslim cleric was hospitalised with acid burns.
In a sign of further
tension, a Catholic priest was shot dead in February.
The attack on the
British girls in August occurred in the same part of Stone Town.
Zanzibar's President
Ali Mohammed Shein said the assault had "brought chaos and confusion to
our country and outside".
Zanzibar officials
offered a £4,000 ($6,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of the
suspects.
A popular tourist
destination, the acid attacks came as a shock to many residents of Zanzibar who
say attacks on foreign travellers are rare.
Police say no suspects
have been arrested over the attack on the priest.
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