Tanzania Suspends Flights To South Africa Over Increased Attacks On Foreigners - Minister

Umer Jamshaid Published September 05, 2019 | 11:50 PM

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th September, 2019) Tanzania has canceled flights to South Africa over the escalated violence against foreigners in the southernmost African country until its authorities manage to provide safety guarantees, Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe said on Thursday.

"We have temporarily suspended flights until when calm is restored because we wouldn't want to fly passengers to a destination with chaos," the minister said, as quoted by The Citizen newspaper.

Media reported earlier in the week, citing local police, that on Sunday and Monday officers in South Africa arrested at least 100 people involved in ransacking mostly Nigerian-owned shops in Johannesburg and areas of the Gauteng province.

The looting reportedly started after a South African taxi driver was killed by a Nigerian drug dealer.

In response, Nigeria decided to boycott the World Economic Forum in South Africa and demanded compensations for the targeted Nigerian citizens. On Wednesday, Abuja recalled Ambassador to South Africa Kabiru Bala over the attacks. South African citizens have faced attacks in Nigeria.