South Africa- Eighteen people, including 15 women, were killed in two mass shootings Friday night in Lusikisiki, a rural area of Eastern Cape, South Africa.
The victims were attending a family gathering when the attacks occurred at two neighbouring homes.
Video footage released by police revealed that the shootings took place at two houses within the same neighbourhood, a collection of rural homesteads on the outskirts of the town.
In one house, twelve women and one man were killed, while in the other, three women and one man lost their lives.
Fortunately, four women, one man, and a two-month-old baby survived the attacks.
The police have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and deployed detectives and forensic experts to gather evidence.
South Africa has a high murder rate, with over 12,734 homicides recorded in the first half of this year alone.
Authorities are mobilising resources to address the violence and apprehend those responsible for these brutal killings.
Mass shootings have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, often targeting individuals in their own homes.
In April 2023, ten members of the same family, including seven women and a 13-year-old boy, were killed in a mass shooting at their residence in neighbouring KwaZulu-Natal province.
While firearm laws in South Africa are relatively strict, authorities frequently cite the widespread presence of illegal and unregistered firearms as a significant issue.
-Online