86-year old Genocide survivor attacked

HUYE - An 86-year-old widow and Genocide survivor Elina Nyirashyaka, narrowly escaped death after she was attacked by an unknown assailant in the wee hours of last Friday. Nyirashyaka, a resident of Gishanvu Sector, Huye district was seriously wounded by a man who hacked her with a machete on her left arm and upper back-side. According to Police sources, four people have been arrested in connection with the ferocious attack as investigations continue. From her hospital bed at the University Teaching Hospital, Nyirashaka told The New Times that she could not identify her attacker. “I was sleeping alone in my house when I heard a man calling out my name, in a moment I heard the front door crashing down,” she explained with difficulty. “He came to my bed, flashed a strong beam of light in my eyes and started hacking me with a machete. It was only after I had started screaming that he fled, I didn’t recognise his face.” Doctors told The New Times that she will be cured of her wounds despite her old age. “We shall try everything possible to save her, we hope she will recover soon,” said the doctor who gave his name only as Musoni at the emergency ward. Authorities of Gishamvu Sector have pledged to beef up security especially for Genocide survivors during the ongoing mourning period in order to avoid a repeat of such incidents. “We were caught off guard by the incident, we are going to enforce night patrols and organise special protection to people who are likely to be targeted,” said Eleone Uwahiriwe, the Sector official in charge of social affairs. Ends