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| Malawi curfew over ‘vampire' killings | Malawi curfew over ‘vampire' killings |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| At least five people have been killed in southern Malawi after they were accused of behaving like vampires. | At least five people have been killed in southern Malawi after they were accused of behaving like vampires. |
| Malawian President Peter Mutharika has vowed to launch an investigation into the killings. | Malawian President Peter Mutharika has vowed to launch an investigation into the killings. |
| A night-time curfew has been imposed by the government to prevent vigilante mobs from killing more people. | A night-time curfew has been imposed by the government to prevent vigilante mobs from killing more people. |
| The UN says it has pulled staff out of two districts as the vampire scare swept the south of the country. | |
| The people killed were suspected of drinking human blood as part of magic rituals. | The people killed were suspected of drinking human blood as part of magic rituals. |
| The government-imposed curfew restricts movement to ten hours from 07:00 until 17:00 local time (05:00 to 15:00 GMT) . | The government-imposed curfew restricts movement to ten hours from 07:00 until 17:00 local time (05:00 to 15:00 GMT) . |
| Meanwhile, the president's office said in a statement: "This development has been of grave concern to the president and the entire government." | Meanwhile, the president's office said in a statement: "This development has been of grave concern to the president and the entire government." |
| The UN said in a report that the vampirism rumours appear to have originated from Mozambique, and "speared across" the border to the Malawi districts of Mulanje and Phalombe. | The UN said in a report that the vampirism rumours appear to have originated from Mozambique, and "speared across" the border to the Malawi districts of Mulanje and Phalombe. |
| But, it said, it is unclear what sparked them. | But, it said, it is unclear what sparked them. |
| "Temporary suspension of UN activities in the area until the situation is normalised," the report added. | "Temporary suspension of UN activities in the area until the situation is normalised," the report added. |
| As one of the world's poorest countries, many aid agencies and NGOs work in Malawi. | As one of the world's poorest countries, many aid agencies and NGOs work in Malawi. |
| Education standards are also low, with belief in witchcraft widespread and the country regularly dogged by "vampire" rumours. | Education standards are also low, with belief in witchcraft widespread and the country regularly dogged by "vampire" rumours. |
| A spate of vigilante violence linked to vampire rumours also erupted there in 2002. | A spate of vigilante violence linked to vampire rumours also erupted there in 2002. |