More than 500 people killed in Tanzania election violence, inquiry finds

A total of 518 people died in Tanzania from "unnatural causes", including 197 who were shot dead, in the widespread protests that followed last year's general election, the commission of inquiry set up to investigate the violence has announced. However, commission chairman Mohamed Chande Othman did not say who was responsible for the deaths, recomm...

A total of 518 people died in Tanzania from "unnatural causes", including 197 who were shot dead, in the widespread protests that followed last year's general election, the commission of inquiry set up to investigate the violence has announced.

However, commission chairman Mohamed Chande Othman did not say who was responsible for the deaths, recommending further investigations.

This is the first time the authorities have said how many people died.

Opposition parties and human rights groups had previously accused the security forces of unleashing a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters, killing thousands.