Kenyans burn alive 11 'witches'

Nairobi, Kenya - Eleven women accused of being witches have been burned to death by a mob in the west of Kenya, police say.

A security operation has been launched to hunt down villagers suspected of killing the women in Kisii District.

The area has witnessed similar attacks in the past when people suspected of engaging in witchcraft have been killed or ostracised.

But correspondents say that this is a surprisingly large number of people to be attacked at the same time.

Local official Mwangi Ngunyi condemned the murders.

"People must not take the law into their own hands simply because they suspect someone," he told AFP news agency.