The bodies were found in Njombe in the south of the country

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And authorities have admitted there may be more to come, after a spate of kidnappings last month. Kangi Lugola, the country’s Minister for Home Affairs, today announced it had identified a number of suspects – although it was unable to provide any further details. The children, all of whom had been kidnapped from their homes in December, were found in the Njombe region in the south of the country. All had been brutally mutilated.



So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed Tanzania's deputy health minister Faustine Ndugulile

Speaking in the country’s National Assembly, Mr Lugola said: "We regret the killing of our children, these incidences are associated with superstitious beliefs.



"Preliminary investigations have shown that almost all the killings were based on superstitious beliefs.”



Tanzania's deputy health minister Faustine Ndugulile said the bodies had been found this week after an extensive search of the area.



Mr Nduglile said: "So far, we have found 10 bodies, and most of their private parts and teeth had been removed.

One in 1,500 people in Tanzania have albinism

"These murders are linked to witchcraft practices because that is the trend for such crimes, where herbalists ask people to get these human parts for money rituals.”



He also hinted there may be more to come, explained “many” children had been reported missing by their parents.



Mr Nduglile said the wave of killings was being investigated by the country’s health ministry.



He told CNN: "We want to identify the perpetrators, but our focus is to educate the traditional practitioners in the area quickly and those in surrounding communities on the need to stop these acts.”

People with albinism are frequently murdered with their body parts used in witchcraft

He said the atrocities were not connected to albino ritual murders which are prevalent in Tanzania and other parts of the region, explaining: "These murders are not linked to albino killings.



"But it is very sad because they are children and they don't deserve to be used like this.”



One in 1,500 people in Tanzania is albino, one of the highest rates in the world.



There is an enormous amount of ignorance and suspicion within the country when it comes to albinism, and albinos are regularly murdered for their bones and organs, which are then sold to witch doctors for charms and magical potions.

The latest victims did not have albinism, Tanzanian rates of which are among the world's highest