Zambian president says church leaders involved in reprisals for chemical spray attacks

More than 50 people in Zambia have been killed in mob violence triggered in response to attacks in which people were sprayed with poisonous substances, President Edgar Lungu said on Friday, blaming church leaders for some of the reprisals.

The chemical attacks began in December and were initially confined to the mineral-rich Copperbelt but have since spread to the capital Lusaka. Police have yet pinpointed the exact number of victims or the motive for the incidents.

In a speech to parliament, Lungu said some church and traditional leaders were inciting mobs to assault people suspected of being involved in the attacks. Many Zambians have been angered by what they perceive as an inadequate response by police.