Five injured in grenade blasts on Christmas

HUYE - Barely a week after a grenade was hurled at a small gathering in Twiga hotel in Butare town, two other grenades went off on Christmas day in two separate incidents. At Karibu Horizon bar, about 3km from the scene of last week’s attack, five people sustained minor injuries when a grenade was thrown at the bar at around 8.15 pm on Christmas day. Around the same time, another grenade went off at Urwuri Motel 2km from Butare town, on the Huye- Nyamagabe highway. No one was hurt in the second incident. A visibly shocked Evode Mutoni, the owner of Karibu Horizon bar, said that a heavy explosion was heard at the entrance leaving close to thirty people trapped inside the bar. “There was a deafening explosion and flames of fire could be seen in the air, people inside scampered for safety as the injured screamed outside,” said Mutoni. Among those injured was Francine Nyirahozo, 30, her 9 year old son, Adolphe Ngoga and a 25 year old man, Ismail Gatete who sustained injuries on his stomach. “We were from escorting visitors, as we reached the bar, we heard a loud explosion only to realise later that my child and I had sustained injuries,” said Nyirahozo who sustained a cut on her leg and thigh. According to security personnel who rushed to the scene after the attack, the assailant used an ‘offensive’ grenade judging from the little damage it caused. At Urwuri motel, the grenade was hurled at the residential section of the motel near a children’s bedroom. Windowpanes were shattered. Fortunately the children were out at the time of the attack. In an interview with The Sunday Times Clautilde Dusabimana, one of the owners of the Motel said that the attack happened around 8.00pm. “I was in the bedroom with my children when I heard a explosion outside, we rushed to find out what had happened only to find windowpanes of my children’s bedroom shattered,” said Dusabimana. Urwuri Motel is located in Gahenerezo village, an area renowned for a high incidence of crime. The sale of illicit liquor and marijuana is blamed for the escalation of crime in this part of Butare town. Meanwhile Police in the district has launched a frantic search for the assailants. No one has so far been arrested in connection with the attacks that have been a rarity in this part of the Country. Ends