South Africa: Stabbing attack at mosque in Western Cape June 14

Event

Unidentified assailants carried out a knife attack at a mosque in Malmesbury (Western Cape province) on Thursday, June 14. According to local reports, two people praying in the mosque were stabbed to death and two others were injured before police managed to neutralize the assailant. The motive of the attack remains unclear; an investigation is underway.

Context

This is the second attack targeting a mosque in the country in the past month. On May 10, a group of men attacked a Shi’a mosque in Verulam (KwaZulu-Natal province), stabbing three people before setting on fire the building. The assailants are still on the run and the motive for the attack has not yet been determined.

Advice

Individuals in Malmesbury are advised to avoid the area of the attack until the situation normalizes, remain vigilant, and obey all instructions issued by the local authorities.