Acid Attack Zanzibar: Priest 'Screaming And Begging For Help'

A Catholic priest was the victim of an acid attack in Zanzibar on Friday, just one month after two British volunteers suffered the same attack, Fox News reported.

As Amselmo Mwangamba walked the streets of Stone Town, his face, arms, and chest were burned by the acid.

Local residents came to the aid of the priest immediately following the incident.

"He had just left the Internet cafe, but a few minutes later he came back screaming and begging for help," said Rukia Abbasi, who was working at the cafe. "We gave him water and rushed him to hospital."

Doctors said they were treating the priest for the burns.

"We are waiting to see whether he may need to be transferred for further treatment," said Jamala Adam, a doctor at the main hospital in Zanzibar.

Mkadam Khamis, a police spokesperson, called the incident "another sad story" and said the authorities are investigating the attack.

Last month, two 18-year-old British volunteers were the victims of an acid attack in capital city of Stone Town. The two assailants that struck the girls with acid have yet to be found, but police officials offered a $6,000 reward for anyone with information leading to their capture. Zanzibar officials refer to the attacks as "a shame on the people of Zanzibar."

Enduring an acid attack causes the skin to burn through and can even dissolve bone. These attacks, also referred to as vitriolage, have become a problem in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Cambodia.

In addition to several acid attacks, the religious tension on the island has ignited violence against several Christian and Muslim leaders. Last December, a priest was shot and killed just two months before another priest suffered the same fate.

A separatist group called Uamsho, which means awakening, is fighting for independence from Tanzania due to the country's secularism. Uamsho wants Zanzibar to be ruled under Sharia law. Although Uamsho has not been connected to anti-Christian violence, they have engaged in battles with police before.

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