Christians in Tanzania are witnessing escalating Islamist violence, it was reported in May.
There have been three arson attacks on churches in north-west Tanzania since January, the latest being on 2 May. Since 2013, attacks on churches have increased, as well as on security forces and any moderate Muslims who oppose the Islamists.
In the latest incident on 19 May, a moderate mosque in the Mwanza region of northwest Tanzania was attacked by a group of around 20 armed people carrying a black flag similar to that used by Islamic State. They ordered all the people to lie on the ground and asked for the mosque leader, Imam Feruz, before killing him and two others.
