5 dead in gun battle near French Embassy

Tanzania’s president said Wednesday that five people, including three police officers, are dead after a gun battle with a man near the French Embassy in Dar es Salaam.

newsinsieIt was not clear whether the shootout was a terrorist attack. Inspector General of Police Simon Sirro said the armed man was suspected of being from Somalia. Sirro warned that the attack could be linked to the Islamist insurgency in neighboring Mozambique, where a growing number of African nations are jointly pursuing the fighters.

The confrontation occurred shortly after President Samia Suluhu Hassan addressed security officials in another part of the city. The president later said three police officers and a member of the auxiliary police were killed, as was the armed man.

I n a security alert, the U.S. Embassy warned Americans to avoid the area. The clash occurred not far from the scene of the 1988 bombing at the U.S. Embassy.