Kenya, Tanzania attacks blow to tourism industry
What you need to know:
- Lamu island has in the past hosted wealthy visitors including celebrities.
- In January, American actress Kristin Davis visited the conservation site as part of her work supporting elephant conservation efforts.
- The conservation centre works to support local people and traditional ways of life, and protect some 63,000 acres of coastal forest inhabited by elephants and buffalo.
Kenya and Tanzania were targeted in separate attacks in key tourist sites, police said, the latest in a series of bombings and gun battles that are scaring off foreign visitors.
The attacks threaten to badly dent the countries' crucial tourism industry with scores of cancellations.
Tourism is a key foreign currency earner and massive employer for the two countries.
Gunmen stormed Lamu Conservation Trust offices, battling with police before setting fire to buildings and vehicles and escaping, following a series of massacres in nearby settlements, government officials said. (READ: Offices, vehicle burnt as gang attacks ranch in Lamu)
"They set ablaze the camp and also several vehicles, then there was also shooting between the attackers and police at the base," said government official Shahasi Abdalla, the local area chief, adding there were no casualties.
ACTRESS KRISTINA DAVIES
Lamu island has in the past hosted wealthy visitors including celebrities.
In January, American actress Kristin Davis visited the conservation site as part of her work supporting elephant conservation efforts.
The conservation centre works to support local people and traditional ways of life, and protect some 63,000 acres of coastal forest inhabited by elephants and buffalo.
In a further blow to the sector, a Russian tourist was murdered on Saturday in Mombasa while touring Fort Jesus -- a 16th century Portuguese-built fort and a Unesco World Heritage Site.
POPULAR RESTAURANT
Eight people were wounded late on Monday when unknown attackers hurled a bomb through the window of a restaurant popular with foreigners and wealthy locals in Arusha, Tanzania. (READ: Eight wounded in Arusha bomb blast)
"It was an improvised explosive device thrown through a window," Mr Issaya Mngulu, a top Tanzanian police officer, told AFP.
Tanzanian police said they had arrested two Tanzanian nationals following the attack, but said they did not believe al-Shabaab extremists were to blame.
Visitors come to Arusha before travelling to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, as well as to the Serengeti National Park, famed for its spectacular great migration of wildebeest.
