There have been riots in parts of Mozambique close to the border with Malawi after reports of vampires sucking blood surfaced.
Local media reported that one child was killed by a stray bullet after police fired into crowds in an attempt to contain them in the town of Gile, in the central province of Zambezia.
The BBC reported that the rioting started after people in Mozambique claimed that the vampires who have been wreaking havoc in Malawi had entered the country.
Police in Malawi have already arrested 140 members of a gang attacking people suspected of being vampires.
Police have said that more than eight people have been killed with two men dieing on Thursday for allegedly sucking blood of people. One was burnt and the other stoned to death.
A Provincial governor in Mozambique Abdul Razak is quoted as saying that “A mob of local residents went to set two houses of community leaders on fire. We also learnt that the protesters went to carry out skirmishes and acts of vandalism in a local police station and to the house of the local prison boss”.
He said “When we noted that the local security situation was not very good, we instructed the Gile district administrator to temporarily abandon the area to ensure that he does not become a victim of the fierce violence.”
People in northern and central Mozambique usually believe in superstition and witchcraft.
Source: Africafeeds.com