(MENAFN) Reports indicate that hundreds of people may have been killed in Tanzania during three days of unrest following Wednesday’s general election. The exact death toll remains unclear, and a nationwide internet blackout is hampering efforts to confirm the numbers.

A spokesperson from the opposition party stated that "around 700" people had died in clashes with security forces, while a diplomatic source in the country suggested credible evidence points to at least 500 fatalities. Authorities have sought to downplay the violence and extended curfews in an attempt to restore order.

The demonstrations, primarily led by young protesters, have spread across cities to denounce what they describe as an unfair election. Protesters argue that the government undermined democracy by suppressing opposition leaders—one imprisoned and another excluded on technical grounds—thereby increasing President Samia Suluhu Hassan's chances of victory with her ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.

Protests continued on Friday in Dar es Salaam despite warnings from the army chief. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Kombo Thabit described the unrest as a "few isolated pockets of incidents here and there" and stated that "security forces acted very swiftly and decisively to address the situation."

He also said, "We are [also] continuing to receive reports of vandalised properties," adding that the internet shutdown was necessary to prevent further destruction and protect lives.
It has been difficult for journalists and human rights organizations to verify the reports of casualties, and hospitals have largely refused to provide information. A source at a Dar es Salaam hospital reported being overwhelmed with patients, a situation echoed across most public hospitals in the city, with morgues reportedly full.

One opposition politician expressed fear for his life, stating that "massacres are carried out during night hours when no-one is there to witness them." John Kitoka, the opposition party's director of foreign and diaspora affairs, said, "[The security forces] are tracking down all our leaders and some have had to leave the country. These people kill with impunity." He added, "We remain concerned that the run-up to the elections was marked by harassment, abductions and intimidation of opposition figures, journalists and civil society actors."

The UN has urged Tanzania's security forces to avoid excessive force, while foreign ministers from multiple countries called on authorities "to act with maximum restraint" and respect "freedom of expression."

In Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago that holds separate elections, CCM incumbent Hussein Mwinyi secured nearly 80% of the vote. Opposition figures in Zanzibar claimed there had been "massive fraud." Tourist travel to the island has been disrupted, as protests on the mainland and the internet blackout have caused flight delays.

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