Controversial reports circulated among the public early yesterday via a private radio broadcast that the Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab had organized a terror mission at Mziha village in Mvomero District, Morogoro Region.
But later police in region refuted the rumour saying the crossfire drama involved armed criminals battling the police.
The reports said that three people died at the crossfire scene, which the rumour said were Al Shabaab militants.
The police did not confirm the deaths but later, checking with sources on the spot tended to affirm that this had actually occurred.
Police disclosed that they had arrested six people in connection to the exchange of fire with the armed group.
Social media reports said one person identified as Cassian Peter died yesterday afternoon and that one police officer was admitted at Bwagala Hospital.
Police launched a manhunt in search for what social media write ups said were fifty members of an armed group who went deep into Njeula Forest in Mvomero District.
Police arrested members of the group who were found in possession of military uniforms, firearms, swords and other weaponry.
Responding in a phone interview by the The Guardian on Sunday Morogoro Regional Police Commander (RPC), Leonard Lwabuzala broke the news about the incident by radio transmission saying the police had only encountered an unidentified gang at Mziha, Mvomero District.
He refuted reports of an Al-Shabaab attack, saying he had instructed the radio station that escalated the reports to correct the false information that had generated apprehension among the public, as allegations of Al Shabab attack lacked any validity.
The RPC said a group of suspected thieves confronted the police in the area they were arrested, insisting that it was a normal swoop aimed at tracking down suspects.
He said there were no deaths, unlike what the radio had earlier reported. Six people had been arrested for interrogation in connection with criminal incidents in the area, he said.
The radio report had stated that Mororogo police had killed three people, with the report qualifying two of them as suspected members of the Somali terrorist group who went into hiding in the thick bushes and forests of Mvomero District.
It reported heavy fighting between the police and the group, which sowed fear and panic among people to run away in all directions, fearing the worst.
The new event in Morogoro mirrors another intense fight between security forces and hidden armed groups in Amboni Caves near Tanga.
Two policemen and four members the military (Tanzania People's Defence Forces TPDF) were badly injured during exchange of fire. The police had similarly said they suspected bandits.
The Commissioner for Operations at Police Headquarters, Paul Chagonja told journalists that the incident at the Amboni Caves area, some 10 kilometres from the city of Tanga, came up as police were conducting a special operation to recover weapons suspected to be hidden in the caves.
"Our officers made their way to the caves with the aim of searching for the weapons after being tipped off, but they were attacked by assailants who were hiding in the caves," he stated.
He said the weapons had been stolen from police officers who were disarmed while on duty in Tanga the previous month, ambushed and injured during an exchange of fire that lasted for about 15 minutes.
After the January 26 ambush, the police in collaboration with other security agencies mounted an operation and managed to arrest two individuals in connection with the ambush, who enabled the police to learn that the weapons were hidden in one of the caves at Amboni.
As officers ventured to seek for the weapons, they were attacked by bombs by people hiding in caves.
An exchange of fire followed, after which police found several items in the caves including materials of making explosives, one motorcycle and two bicycles and various local weapons.
Commissioner Chagonja had similarly rejected suggestions that this was a terror attack by the Somali group, saying those arrested in connection with the incident had no ties with Al Shabaab.
But later police in region refuted the rumour saying the crossfire drama involved armed criminals battling the police.
The reports said that three people died at the crossfire scene, which the rumour said were Al Shabaab militants.
The police did not confirm the deaths but later, checking with sources on the spot tended to affirm that this had actually occurred.
Police disclosed that they had arrested six people in connection to the exchange of fire with the armed group.
Social media reports said one person identified as Cassian Peter died yesterday afternoon and that one police officer was admitted at Bwagala Hospital.
Police launched a manhunt in search for what social media write ups said were fifty members of an armed group who went deep into Njeula Forest in Mvomero District.
Police arrested members of the group who were found in possession of military uniforms, firearms, swords and other weaponry.
Responding in a phone interview by the The Guardian on Sunday Morogoro Regional Police Commander (RPC), Leonard Lwabuzala broke the news about the incident by radio transmission saying the police had only encountered an unidentified gang at Mziha, Mvomero District.
He refuted reports of an Al-Shabaab attack, saying he had instructed the radio station that escalated the reports to correct the false information that had generated apprehension among the public, as allegations of Al Shabab attack lacked any validity.
The RPC said a group of suspected thieves confronted the police in the area they were arrested, insisting that it was a normal swoop aimed at tracking down suspects.
He said there were no deaths, unlike what the radio had earlier reported. Six people had been arrested for interrogation in connection with criminal incidents in the area, he said.
The radio report had stated that Mororogo police had killed three people, with the report qualifying two of them as suspected members of the Somali terrorist group who went into hiding in the thick bushes and forests of Mvomero District.
It reported heavy fighting between the police and the group, which sowed fear and panic among people to run away in all directions, fearing the worst.
The new event in Morogoro mirrors another intense fight between security forces and hidden armed groups in Amboni Caves near Tanga.
Two policemen and four members the military (Tanzania People's Defence Forces TPDF) were badly injured during exchange of fire. The police had similarly said they suspected bandits.
The Commissioner for Operations at Police Headquarters, Paul Chagonja told journalists that the incident at the Amboni Caves area, some 10 kilometres from the city of Tanga, came up as police were conducting a special operation to recover weapons suspected to be hidden in the caves.
"Our officers made their way to the caves with the aim of searching for the weapons after being tipped off, but they were attacked by assailants who were hiding in the caves," he stated.
He said the weapons had been stolen from police officers who were disarmed while on duty in Tanga the previous month, ambushed and injured during an exchange of fire that lasted for about 15 minutes.
After the January 26 ambush, the police in collaboration with other security agencies mounted an operation and managed to arrest two individuals in connection with the ambush, who enabled the police to learn that the weapons were hidden in one of the caves at Amboni.
As officers ventured to seek for the weapons, they were attacked by bombs by people hiding in caves.
An exchange of fire followed, after which police found several items in the caves including materials of making explosives, one motorcycle and two bicycles and various local weapons.
Commissioner Chagonja had similarly rejected suggestions that this was a terror attack by the Somali group, saying those arrested in connection with the incident had no ties with Al Shabaab.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
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