South Africa's Soweto tense after 'xenophobic' attacks

Police have arrested at least 121 people in connection with violence and looting of foreign-owned stores in Soweto township in Johannesburg that resulted in the death of at least two teenagers , prompting fears of renewed xenophobia in the country.

Police in South Africa said on Friday that r esidents of the township attacked foreign nationals after a teenager was allegedly shot dead by a Somali shop owner earler in the week. The 14-year-old was allegedly part of a group that had tried to rob the shop.

On Wednesday, as the riots and looting spread to other parts of Soweto, another teenager was killed amid the violence.

"It is alleged that the members of the community staged a revenge and started looting foreign national shops in the area. The owners of shops fired several shots towards the community to defend themselves," the South African police said in a statement .