Zanzibar, Tanzania: Två unga brittiska turister har attackerats med syra (2013-08-07)

– Polisen i Zanzibar jagar förövarna och vi ber om allmänhetens hjälp att identifiera förövarna, sade vice polischefen Mkadam Khamis, enligt TT.

Överfallet skedde sent i går natt i det populära turistmålet Zanzibar i Tanzania.
De två unga brittiska kvinnorna fick syran kastad i ansiktet.

The attack on the women came at the end of the Muslim holy month of fasting of Ramadan, and as people began to celebrate the Eid holiday.
---
The girls were walking through the streets of Stone Town, in the capital of the island, when they were attacked by two men on a moped.

The acid splashed their faces, chests and hands and they were airlifted to hospital in Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania.
---
There have been a series of attacks in the cluster of islands, including an acid attack on a Muslim cleric in November, and the shooting dead of a Catholic priest in February.

Another priest was shot and wounded in December.

The islands are mainly Muslim, with some three percent of the 1.2 million people Christian.

The assault is the first against foreigners in the popular tourist destination, however, there have been a series of attacks in the archipelago, mainly on grounds of religion.

The BBC's Tulanana Bohela in Dar es Salaam says Islam is the main religion on Zanzibar and in more remote parts of the island, away from tourist beaches, there are signs asking foreigners to respect the local culture and cover up - in case skimpy outfits upset villagers.

One of the British teenagers attacked with acid in Zanzibar was assaulted in the street weeks earlier for "singing during Ramadan".

Last night's horrific assault came at the end of the Muslim holy month of fasting of Ramadan, and as people began to celebrate the Eid holiday.

Just weeks earlier, Katie Gee, from London, claimed she was attacked in the street by a Muslim woman for singing during the religious festival.

The teenager tweeted: "A Muslim woman just hit me in the street for singing on Ramadan. Is that normal?"

Bashir Ismail, of Art in Tanzania, said the girls had argued with a nearby shop owner a few days ago when they went for groceries.

He said that when the attack happened at around 7pm on Wednesday: “The two attackers passed by several white tourists in the area and threw acid after reaching closer to them which raises suspicion of a planned attack.”

The day before the attack Miss Gee had excitedly tweeted that she had met the former US president Bill Clinton, who was on the island promoting the anti-malarial work of his Clinton Health Access Initiative.

But the girls had also had run-ins with local people.

Oli Cohen, a close friend of Katie, said: “The girls were walking through the town singing during Ramadan when a Muslim lady came up to her shouting. She lost her temper and reacted violently - and hit her in the face for singing.

“They were both extremely shaken up by it. I think white north London Jewish girls walking around in Zanzibar always make them a target as it's a Muslim country.”

Zanzibar acid attack on Trup and Gee: Reward offered

Zanzibar police say a reward of 10m Tanzanian shillings (£3,971, $6,170) has been offered for information leading to the capture of attackers who threw acid at two UK women.