Poachers Shot Dead

The New Times (Kigali)
May 1, 2005
Nelson Gatsimbazi
Umutara

Game Rangers have shot dead an unidentified number of poachers from a neighbouring country near the Akagera National Park while two others escaped.

The poachers, who are suspected to be Tanzanians, were shot after defying the rangers' orders to stop.

Reliable sources indicate that the area has been hit by foreign poachers in search of animals like rhinos, elephants and leopards whose products are on high demand on the world market.

The dead are said to be from the Yao or the Bahaya ethnic group of Central Tanzania. When contacted, local authorities in the area said they would see how to repatriate the bodies of the dead to their homeland.