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Mother with child who has albinism (icon image)
Photo: Sodiq Adelakun/Getty Images
A four-year-old boy with albinism has been kidnapped and dismembered in Burundi.
The mortal remains of little Abdul were found in a forest, said the organization Albinos sans frontières (ASF) and an official on Tuesday.
Violent attacks on people with albinism are common in parts of Africa, with victims being maimed or killed because their body parts are believed to have auspicious and magical powers.
ASF said Abdul was abducted by three suspects in a taxi on Saturday while he was playing with other children in a suburb of Burundi's largest city, Bujumbura.
The kidnappers took the boy to Cankuzo province, about 230 kilometers away, where he was killed and dismembered.
The perpetrators severed his arms and legs and took his bones, an official said.
His remains were thrown into a forest, where a child discovered them.
Two of the three suspects were arrested.
More than 20 victims in Burundi alone
According to ARSP spokesman Chadrack Nahumuremyi, it was the first such crime in Burundi in two years.
In total, more than 20 people with albinism have been killed in the African country since 2008.
Albinism is a genetic disorder of pigment formation in the skin, hair and eyes.
In some African countries, those affected are discriminated against, attacked or killed.
Self-proclaimed medicine men use their body parts to brew potions said to bring good luck and prosperity.
ala/AFP