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A Chadema spokesman told AFP on Friday that “around 700” people had been killed, based on figures gathered from a network checking hospitals and health clinics. A security source and diplomat in Dar es Salaam both told AFP that deaths were “in the hundreds”. Hassan has not made any public statement since the unrest began. Her government denies using “excessive force” but has blocked the internet and imposed a tight lockdown and curfew nationwide, making it hard to get any information. News websites have not been updated since early Wednesday and journalists are not allowed to operate freely in the country. Read moreLow turnout mars Tanzania's presidential election as opposition barred from race UN chief Antonio Guterres is “deeply concerned” about the situation in Tanzania, “including reports of deaths and injuries during the demonstrations”, his spokesman said in a statement. Much public anger has been directed at Hassan’s son, Abdul Halim Hafidh Ameir, accused of overseeing the crackdown. There have been unconfirmed reports of the army siding with protesters in some places, but army chief Jacob Mkunda came out strongly on Hassan’s side on Thursday, calling the protesters “criminals”. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo said Friday that his government had “no figures” on any dead. “Currently, no excessive force has been used,” he said in an interview with Al Jazeera. “There’s no number until now of any protesters killed.” (FRANCE 24 with AFP)
