Outrage after deadly South Africa mosque attack

Durban: Armed attackers struck a mosque outside the South African city of Durban on Thursday, stabbing to death an imam and injuring two others in a country known for its peaceful religious relations.

Three men entered the large mosque after midday prayers, carrying guns and attacking the victims with knives and then releasing a petrol bomb that set fire to the building.

Police said the attackers remained at large after escaping in a Hyundai car from the Imam Hussain mosque in Verulam town, on the outskirts of the eastern port city.

"The motive of the attack is unknown at this stage. Verulam police are investigating three counts of attempted murder and arson," police spokeswoman Nqobile Gwala said in a statement.

The incident appeared to be unprecedented in South Africa, where about 1.5 per cent of the country's 55 million population is Muslim.

The attack has left the Muslim community outraged and demanding answers.

Swift condemnation

The incident drew immediate condemnation from the Muslim leadership across the country.

The Muslim Judicial Council denounced the bloodshed and said the core of Islamic teachings and principles are "respect for all human beings".

Islamic scholar Shaykh Rafeek Haseen told community radio station Voice of the Cape that Durban's Muslim community is in shock and urged people not to jump to conclusions.

Faisal Suleman, chairperson of the South African Muslim Network said he condemns this attack and urge the law enforcement to spare no effort in apprehending the perpetrators alive so that the reasons become known.

The United Ulama Council of South Africa denounced "these grievous and vicious attacks".

"We condemn these unjustifiable acts of violence, which foster nothing but tension, mistrust, and insecurity within communities," said the group's Secretary-General Yusuf Patel.

Muslims make up about 1.9 percent of South Africa's 55 million population, with most following the Sunni Muslim denomination. Attacks on mosques are extremely rare, but observers note anti-Shia rhetoric has been on the rise over the past few years, especially on social media.

Paul Herbst, spokesman for the private IPSS medical rescue service, said that the imam had his throat slit and passed away a few hours after the attack.

"There were three people in the mosque -- a caretaker, a worshipper and the imam and they were held up by three armed men," Herbst said. "The (imam) was tied up and thrown to his knees and his throat was slit.

The other two men were also stabbed -- one was stabbed in the abdomen and the other in the groin of his left leg.

"Before the assailants left the mosque, a petrol bomb was thrown into the mosque and it was set alight." 

The imam was treated by paramedics on the scene and transferred to hospital where he was pronounced dead.