8 police officers killed by gunmen in Tanzania

Officials say eight Tanzanian police officers have been ambushed and killed while returning from patrol outside the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam. The attack happened on Thursday night in an area called Jaribu.

Police chief Ernest Mangu said today the identities of the assailants are unknown. The gunmen first fired at the driver of the patrol vehicle before killing seven other officers and seizing their weapons.

President John Magufuli said in a message to the police chief that "I can't even describe how bad this is."

Home Affairs Minister Mwigulu Nchemba says he has increased the number of police to hunt down gunmen who have killed dozens of police and civilians in

recent months. In 2015, Gunmen killed seven people and seized weapons and ammunition in a raid on a police station.

Unknown attackers have been seizing weapons such as sub-machine guns in a series of raids on police stations across Tanzania over the past few years.

Security forces in east Africa are on alert.