Tanzanian police are saying that three people have died in what they call a "terrorist-style" attack on a mosque in Mwanza, in the north-west of the country.
Mwanza Police Commander Ahmed Msangi told journalists that about 15 people with face masks, machetes, axes and black flags entered the mosque at 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Thursday evening as prayers were under way.
Then they started attacking the worshippers.
Several people were injured, including three who eventually died of their wounds.
The victims include the imam Ferouz Ismail Elias.
The exact motive for the attack is not clear, but the police are saying that those responsible were angry about the police detaining fellow Muslims and the people in the mosque doing nothing about it.
The gruesome attack comes on the back of growing fears of the rise of religious fundamentalism in the country.
Mwanza Police Commander Ahmed Msangi told journalists that about 15 people with face masks, machetes, axes and black flags entered the mosque at 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Thursday evening as prayers were under way.
Then they started attacking the worshippers.
Several people were injured, including three who eventually died of their wounds.
The victims include the imam Ferouz Ismail Elias.
The exact motive for the attack is not clear, but the police are saying that those responsible were angry about the police detaining fellow Muslims and the people in the mosque doing nothing about it.
The gruesome attack comes on the back of growing fears of the rise of religious fundamentalism in the country.
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