Eight women accused of witchcraft in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, died of poisoning in the country’s remote north, a senior official told AFP.

After a sudden illness took the lives of two young people in Culade, in the Cacheu region, the women were accused, and an animist priest forced them to drink poison.

The eight women, all over 50, died, and 21 others were hospitalized in the local capital, São Domingos, said Carlos Sanhá, a senior administrative official in the city.

According to Sanhá, traditional animist beliefs are “a recurring phenomenon” in the area with strong roots.

“We intend to take the necessary decisions to put an end to these ancient practices. It is sad and unacceptable in the 21st century. We cannot continue to tolerate such practices,” the official added.

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, four people died in similar circumstances in the same region, with local people fearing that the virus was linked to witchcraft.