Six children in south-western Tanzania have been killed and had their ears and teeth removed, the authorities say.

Some of the bodies of the children, aged between two and nine years old, were also missing limbs.

"This is all about superstitious beliefs and many believe they will get help from witchcraft," Njombe District Commissioner Ruth Msafiri said.

Police have detained one suspect, a close relative of three of the children who were from the same family.

Ten children in all have gone missing in Njombe since the beginning of December and four have been found alive.

Correspondents say that some witchdoctors in the region tell people that human body parts have special properties that can bring them wealth and luck.

"We urge all parents and guardians to be on alert and teach their children on how determine the motives of who is around them," the district commissioner told the BBC.

The children were taken from their homes at night when their parents were selling food at a market.</s>Six children in south-western Tanzania have been killed and had their ears and teeth removed, the authorities say.

Some of the bodies of the children, aged between two and nine years old, were also missing limbs.

"This is all about superstitious beliefs and many believe they will get help from witchcraft," Njombe District Commissioner Ruth Msafiri said.

Other local children are also missing and Ms Msafiri said people should work together to deal with the issue.

Correspondents say that some witchdoctors in the region tell people that human body parts have special properties that can bring them wealth and luck.

"We urge all parents and guardians to be on alert and teach their children on how determine the motives of who is around them," the district commissioner told the BBC.

The children, three of whom were from the same family, were taken from their homes at night when their parents were selling food at a market.</s>Tanzanian authorities say that 10 children who were kidnapped in December were found dead and were killed for their body parts.

The children’s ears and teeth and “private parts” were removed, and some were missing limbs, according to published reports that cited the authorities.

They were aged between two and nine years old. Authorities in Tanzania have indicated that there may be more children missing.

A relative of three of the children has been arrested.

Apparently, authorities suspect that witchcraft motivated the horrors that were inflicted upon the children. Some witchdoctors in the area where the children were killed, and where some 10 are missing, claim that by obtaining some body parts, people can attract money and good fortune. The children went missing while their parents sold food at a market, the BBC said.

"This is all about superstitious beliefs and many believe they will get help from witchcraft," Njombe District Commissioner Ruth Msafiri said.

"These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals," he said.

"We urge all parents and guardians to be on alert and teach their children on how to determine the motives of who is around them," the district commissioner told the BBC.

“We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the area quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts," CNN quoted him as saying.

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has described the body parts market as one that fetches from $2,000 for a limb to $75,000 for a corpse.

Authorities said the murder and mutilation of the 10 children was not related to the killings of albinos in the country.

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Albinos in Tanzania frequently are targeted for abuse because of discrimination and the belief their albinism is the result of their being cursed, according to Amnesty International.</s>Ten children kidnapped by gunmen in Tanzania have been found dead by the Police with their body parts mutilated and stolen.

Concise News gathered that the children, some as young as seven, were kidnapped from their homes last month.

Also, Tanzania’s deputy health minister Faustine Ndugulile said all 10 children had been missing since December in Njombe district, southwest Tanzania.

“Their bodies were discovered last week after police launched a search operation in the area.

“So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed.

“These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals.

“We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the area quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts,” Ndugulile told CNN.

Many children have been reported missing by their parents in the community since December, according to Ndugulile, who said the health ministry was also investigating the wave of killings.

The Deputy health minister said that these killings are not linked to albino ritual murders which are prevalent in Tanzania and other parts of East Africa.

“These murders are not linked to albino killings,” he said. “But it is very sad because they are children and they don’t deserve to be used like this,” Ndugulile said.</s>Ten children who were kidnapped in December were found dead with mutilated body parts on Monday.

Tanzania's stated that all 10 children had been missing since December in southwest Tanzania's district, reported.

The bodies of the children were found last week after police mounted a in the area.

"So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed," Nduguille said.

"These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals," he further stated.

The children, some of who are as young as seven years old, had been kidnapped from their homes in December, last year.

Many parents had filed missing reports since then, Nduguille said, adding that the health ministry was investigating the killings.

"We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the area quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts," he said.

He also dismissed the prospects of the killings linked with albino ritual murders which are prevalent in and other East African countries.

"These murders are not linked to albino killings. But it is very sad because they are children and they don't deserve to be used like this," Nduguille said.

is among the countries with the highest rates of albinism (one in 1,500 people).

A lack of education and tolerance prevails and Albinos are regularly killed for their bones and organs, which are sold to witch doctors for "charms and magical potions", cited as saying.</s>Ten children kidnapped in Tanzania have been found dead with their body parts mutilated, authorities told CNN on Monday.

Tanzania’s deputy health minister Faustine Ndugulile said all 10 children had been missing since December in Njombe district, southwest Tanzania.

Their bodies were discovered last week after police launched a search operation in the area.

“So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed,” Ndugulile said.

“These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals,” he added.

The children, some as young as seven, were kidnapped from their homes last month.

Many children have been reported missing by their parents in the community since December, according to Ndugulile, who said the health ministry was also investigating the wave of killings.

“We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the areras quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts,” Ndugulile told CNN.

The Deputy health minister told CNN that these killings are not linked albino ritual murders which are prevalent in Tanzania and other parts of east Africa.

“These murders are not linked to albino killings,” he said. “But it is very sad because they are children and they don’t deserve to be used like this,” Ndugulile said.

Tanzania has one of the highest rates of albinism in the world, at one in 1,500 people.

Despite its prevalence, there’s still a lack of education and tolerance and albinos are regularly killed for their bones and organs, which are sold to witch doctors for “charms and magical potions”, according to Amnesty International.</s>NAIROBI - The United Nations on Tuesday condemned a wave of murders of young children in southern Tanzania, which local media reported were ritual killings in which body parts were removed.

The private newspaper Mwananchi reported that at least 10 children aged between two and 10 years old had been found dead since the beginning of the month in the southern Njombe region.

"The United Nations in Tanzania offers its deepest condolences to the families and communities of children who have been brutally murdered in Njombe over the last few weeks," read a statement.

"As the UN, we stand ready to support the government in their efforts to address the issue," said Alvaro Rodriguez, the UN's resident coordinator in Tanzania.

According to the Mwananchi paper, the children had their ears, tongues and sexual organs removed, with the murders linked to "superstition".

In Tanzania, albinos are often kidnapped and their body parts hacked off for use as charms and magical potions in the belief that they bring wealth and good luck.</s>Saddened by the killings, the chairman for defence and security in Njombe, who doubles as the Njombe Regional Commissioner, Mr Christopher Ole Sendeka, ordered at the weekend that all witchdoctors -- who are linked to the brutal deaths of innocent children -- be arrested. The deputy minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr Faustine Ndugulile, said he was saddened by the killings and that while those dealing with defence and security were working on it from the criminal point of view, his ministry was working on the same issue from the development of children and traditional medicine angle. "With the help of the Regional Commissioner's Office, we have invited all traditional healers to a meeting. Those that we have been able to meet with say they have nothing to do with killings. There could be some people from outside the region who are doing this. We have to find a way to end this problem," he said. The Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Kangi Lugola, said he was aware of two incidents and that police were handling the issue. The parents have called for the government's intervention to ensure that children are safe. According to Atupele Sanga, a resident of Chaugingi Village in Njombe, since the schools were opened three weeks ago, each parent has been escorting his/ her child to and from school as part of the ways of protecting them. "We have less hours of work nowadays because of escorting our children to school in the morning and picking them back home in the afternoon. The situation is worse because we even fear leaving our children at home for the killers are still at large," he said. Another villager, Mr Nicolaus Mhando, said the killings have shocked parents, children and guardians. He said three kids were recently abducted from the hands of their parents and one of them was later found dead with his body parts removed while others were still missing. "Children are no longer sure of their safety. We have heard that some suspects have been arrested, but I think the problem is still big," he said. One of the teachers at one of the school in Njombe town who did not want to be mentioned, said this is major challenge as parents have remained in a crossroad. Njombe District Commissioner Ruth Msafiri said a total of 10 children dead bodies have been discovered in different parts of the town, some being slaughtered and their body parts removed. She said six children, who were killed, four are from Njombe town council and the rest were reported in different districts. She said one of the children had his throat chopped off and another body was recovered from river Hagafilo in Njombe. The district commissioner has, however, called for religious leaders, local government authorities, the community and councillors to ensure that they stem the tide of killings.</s>Tanzania is among the countries with the highest rates of albinism (one in 1,500 people).

Ten children who were kidnapped in December were found dead with mutilated body parts on Monday.Â

Tanzania's deputy health minister Faustine Nduguille stated that all 10 children had been missing since December in southwest Tanzania's Njombe district, CNN reported.

The bodies of the children were found last week after police mounted a search operation in the area.

"So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed," Nduguille said.

"These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals," he further stated.

The children, some of who are as young as seven years old, had been kidnapped from their homes in December, last year.

Many parents had filed missing reports since then, Nduguille said, adding that the health ministry was investigating the killings.

"We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the area quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts," he said.

He also dismissed the prospects of the killings linked with albino ritual murders which are prevalent in Tanzania and other East African countries.

"These murders are not linked to albino killings. But it is very sad because they are children and they don't deserve to be used like this," Nduguille said.

Tanzania is among the countries with the highest rates of albinism (one in 1,500 people).

A lack of education and tolerance prevails and Albinos are regularly killed for their bones and organs, which are sold to witch doctors for "charms and magical potions", CNN cited Amnesty International as saying.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever</s>The mutilated bodies of 10 children in Tanzania were found last week, authorities confirmed on Monday raising questions if the murders were associated with witchcraft in the area.

The children were found with their teeth pulled out and their genitals cut off. According to a report by All Africa, the murderers also cut off the children's respiratory organs.

All the 10 children, some as young as seven years of age, were kidnapped from their home and were missing since December in Njombe district, southwest Tanzania.

"So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed," Tanzania's deputy health minister Faustine Ndugulile was quoted as saying by CNN.

He added, "These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals."

The chairman for Defence and Security in Njombe, also the Njombe Regional Commissioner, Christopher Ole Sendeka, said that all witchdoctors linked to the deaths of the children should be immediately arrested.

"We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the area quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts," Ndugulile said.

The aftermath of the murders saw the Tanzanian government inviting traditional healers, some call them with doctors for a meeting. Ndugulile said that the witchdoctors the government met denied any connection with the murders. However, the health minister feels that someone in the region is behind the killings.

Parents became more vigilant after the kidnappings. Ever since the schools reopened three weeks ago in Chaugingi Village in Njombe, every child is escorted to and fro from school. Their workplaces reduced their timings to ensure that the parents can pick and drop their kids.

"We have fewer hours of work nowadays because of escorting our children to school in the morning and picking them back home in the afternoon. The situation is worse because we even fear leaving our children at home for the killers are still at large," Atupele Sanga, a resident of Chaugingi Village was quoted as saying by All Africa.

Are the murders related to the Albino killings?

Ndugulile said that these killings have nothing to do with the albino killings which are conducted on a large scale in the area and other parts of Africa. The CNN report states that Tanzania sees the highest number of albinism in the world with one person being an albino for every 500.

Albinos in the region are often hunted and killed for their bones which many believe, bring good luck. The bones and organs are also used for charms and magical potions by witchdoctors.
Six Tanzanian children are killed for their eyes, ears and other body parts. A Njombe district official, who found many were taken when they were home alone whilst their parents were working, believes that superstitious beliefs and witchcraft are involved. Four other missing children have been found alive.